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| Parliament of Montenegro | |
|---|---|
| Name | Parliament of Montenegro |
| Native name | Скупштина Црне Горе |
| Legislature | Parliament of Montenegro |
| House type | Unicameral |
| Established | 1906 |
| Preceded by | Prince-Bishopric institutions |
| Leader1 type | President |
| Leader1 | Andrija Mandić |
| Leader1 party | New Serb Democracy |
| Seats | 81 |
| Last election | 30 August 2020 |
| Meeting place | Blue Palace, Cetinje and Parliament Building, Podgorica |
Parliament of Montenegro is the unicameral legislature of Montenegro and the supreme representative body for the people of Montenegro established in its modern form after the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It exercises legislative authority within the framework of the Constitution of Montenegro and interacts with the Government of Montenegro, the President of Montenegro, and the Judicial Council of Montenegro. The assembly traces roots to earlier representative institutions such as the Montenegrin National Assembly (1905) and evolved through periods including the Kingdom of Montenegro, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and the Socialist Republic of Montenegro within SFR Yugoslavia.
The modern legislature inherits traditions from the Assembly of Montenegro (1906) and the constitutional experiment of the reign of Nicholas I of Montenegro. After World War I, representatives sat in national bodies of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. During World War II, partisans under Josip Broz Tito reorganized territorial governance, leading to the postwar assembly of the People's Republic of Montenegro within the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. Constitutional reforms in the 1960s and the 1974 Constitution of Yugoslavia expanded republican parliaments’ competencies, while the breakup of SFR Yugoslavia in the 1990s, including events like the Yugoslav Wars, transformed the parliament’s role. The 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum culminated in reconstituting the legislature as the national assembly of an independent Montenegro.
Under the Constitution of Montenegro the assembly enacts laws, approves the state budget, ratifies international treaties such as accession to organizations like the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and declares states of emergency. It exercises oversight by summoning the Prime Minister of Montenegro and ministers, confirming nominations for institutions like the Central Bank of Montenegro and the State Audit Institution. The parliament participates in appointing members of the Constitutional Court of Montenegro and cooperates with bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights through implementation of judgments and relevant legislation tied to the European Union accession process.
The chamber comprises 81 deputies elected under a system of proportional representation using the D'Hondt method in multi-member constituencies defined by law. Electoral mechanisms reflect post-conflict reforms influenced by examples from the European Convention on Human Rights and standards promoted by the OSCE and the Council of Europe. Political parties and coalitions such as Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro, Democratic Front (Montenegro), Social Democratic Party of Montenegro, United Reform Action, and ethnic minority lists for Bosniaks of Montenegro and Albanians of Montenegro compete in parliamentary elections. Elections are administered by the State Election Commission of Montenegro, with voter rolls maintained by the Ministry of Interior (Montenegro).
Plenary sessions follow rules of procedure promulgated by the assembly and guided by practices common to legislative bodies like the Sejm, the Storting, and the Bundestag. The assembly is presided over by a President of the Parliament supported by Vice Presidents representing parliamentary clubs and parties, including leaders from movements such as New Serb Democracy and the Social Democrats of Montenegro. Debates reference quorum and voting thresholds for confidence motions, budget approval, and constitutional amendments, with precedents shaped by national crises including the 1997 Montenegrin constitutional crisis and political realignments after the 2006 independence referendum.
Standing committees mirror topics handled in other legislatures: committees on foreign affairs reflect relations with the European Union, committees on finance and budget engage with the Central Bank of Montenegro and the State Audit Institution, while committees on judiciary and public administration handle nominations to bodies such as the Constitutional Court of Montenegro and review compliance with rulings from the European Court of Human Rights. Legislative proposals originate from deputies, the Government of Montenegro, and citizen initiatives; bills proceed through committee review, amendments, and plenary votes consistent with practices seen in the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and the Croatian Parliament.
The assembly confirms the Prime Minister of Montenegro and can pass votes of no confidence that compel the Cabinet of Montenegro to resign, analogous to procedures in the Parliament of Slovenia or the Albanian Parliament. It supervises executive action through interpellations, inquiries, and hearings, interacting with law enforcement agencies such as the Special State Prosecutor's Office and anti-corruption institutions influenced by standards from the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO). Judicial appointments and disciplinary proceedings involve coordination with the Supreme Court of Montenegro and the Judicial Council of Montenegro, balancing legislative prerogatives and judicial independence affirmed by constitutional jurisprudence and decisions of the Constitutional Court of Montenegro.
The assembly meets in the historic parliamentary building in Podgorica and in ceremonial sessions at the Blue Palace in Cetinje, spaces associated with national heritage sites like the King Nikola's Palace and the Cetinje Monastery. Emblems include the national coat of arms of Montenegro and the flag of Montenegro, displayed alongside insignia of parliamentary groups and banners representing parties such as the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro and the Liberal Party of Montenegro. Architectural conservation efforts align with the Ministry of Culture and Media (Montenegro) and international standards promoted by organizations like UNESCO for preserving historic legislative sites.
Category:Politics of Montenegro Category:Legislatures