Milo Đukanović

Milo Đukanović was a leader in Montenegro.

He was a leader for over 33 years. He was a Prime Minister and a president. He helped Montenegro become its own country.

He also worked to join a group called NATO. Some people thought his rule was not fair. In 2023, he lost an election to a new leader. It was a big change for his land.

Milo Đukanović is a famous leader from Montenegro.

He has held power for over 33 years. This makes him a very long-ruling leader in Europe. He served as Prime Minister and as President.

Early in his career, he was close to Slobodan Milošević. Milošević was a leader in Yugoslavia. Later, Đukanović changed his path. He began to work for a separate Montenegro. This led to a split in his political party. In 1997, he won a big election. In 2006, Montenegro became an independent country.

Đukanović helped Montenegro join NATO. NATO is a group of many nations. However, many people had concerns about his rule. Some groups said he used too much power. They also pointed to scandals involving money. In 2020, his party lost a major election. In 2023, he lost the presidency to Jakov Milatović. This was a big change for the nation.

Milo Đukanović is a very important political leader from Montenegro.

He has been in power for more than 33 years. This makes him the longest-ruling contemporary politician in Europe. He served as the Prime Minister during several different times. He also served as the President of the country. His career has shaped how Montenegro works today.

His political journey began with many big changes. In the late 1980s, he was part of a movement called the anti-bureaucratic revolution. At that time, he was a close ally of Slobodan Milošević. He was a member of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. He even became the youngest member of its highest decision-making body. People gave him the nickname "Britva," which means "Straight razor." This was because of his very direct way of speaking.

Over time, Đukanović changed his goals for his country. In 1996, he moved away from Milošević and the federal government. He began to support Montenegrin nationalism instead. This meant he wanted a separate identity for Montenegro. This choice caused his political party to split into two groups. In 1997, he won a presidential election by a very small margin. Later, he helped Montenegro move away from the state union with Serbia.

Đukanović helped Montenegro make many big official moves. In 1999, he worked with Western countries during a time of NATO airstrikes. He also helped Montenegro start using the Deutsche Mark as its money. In 2006, a referendum helped Montenegro become fully independent. He then worked to bring Montenegro into NATO in 2017. He also oversaw the sale of many public companies to foreign firms. These actions changed the economy of the nation significantly.

Not everyone agreed with how he led the country. Some international groups said his government showed signs of democratic backsliding. They worried about how power was used in Montenegro. There were also protests in 2019 and 2020 about different laws and scandals. In the 2020 elections, the opposition parties won more votes than his party. Finally, in April 2023, he lost the presidential run-off. A man named Jakov Milatović won the election to become the new president.

Milo Đukanović is a prominent Montenegrin politician. He has been a central figure in the politics of Montenegro for over 33 years. This long career makes him the longest-ruling contemporary politician in Europe. He has held several top roles in the government. He served as the Prime Minister during four different periods. He also served two terms as the President of Montenegro.

Đukanović began his political life in the late 1970s. He joined the Yugoslav Communist League while still in high school. This was the only legal political party in communist Yugoslavia. His father was an influential member of the party in Montenegro. This connection helped Đukanović move up the political ladder quickly. By 1988, he became the youngest member of the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. His direct and forceful way of speaking earned him the nickname "Britva," which means "Straight razor."

His early leadership involved significant shifts in alliances. In the late 1980s, he was a close ally of Slobodan Milošević. During this time, his government was involved in the siege of Dubrovnik. This conflict caused heavy structural damage to the city. However, Đukanović changed his political direction in 1996. He distanced himself from Milošević and the federal government. He began to support Montenegrin nationalism instead. This shift focused on a separate Montenegrin identity and state independence. This decision caused a split within his own political party.

Đukanović led Montenegro through several major transitions. In 1997, he won the presidential election by a very thin margin. In 1999, he negotiated with Western nations during NATO airstrikes in Yugoslavia. During this period, he also oversaw the adoption of the Deutsche Mark. This replaced the Yugoslav dinar as the local currency. Later, he signed the 2003 Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro. This agreement eventually allowed for Montenegrin independence. In 2006, a referendum led to the formal separation of Montenegro.

His later years in power focused on international integration. He pursued policies to join NATO and the European Union. This effort resulted in Montenegro becoming a member of NATO in 2017. During his time as a leader, he also managed the privatization of public companies. These companies were sold to various foreign firms and investors. While these moves changed the economy, they also brought significant scrutiny. Many international organizations began to monitor the way his government used power.

His long rule faced serious criticism and challenges. Some international groups, such as Freedom House, described Montenegro as a hybrid regime. They warned of "democratic backsliding" under his leadership. These organizations pointed to the abuse of power and state capture. Critics also noted that his family members held influential positions. His brother owned the country's first private bank. His sister was a lawyer who controlled the judiciary for a long time. Scandals regarding corruption and new laws led to large protests in 2019 and 2020.

Political change finally arrived through the voting process. In the 2020 parliamentary elections, the opposition won more votes than Đukanović's party. This was the first time in three decades that his party lost control. The end of his long era came in April 2023. He participated in a presidential run-off election. He was defeated by Jakov Milatović, a 36-year-old former economy minister. This election marked a major shift in the political landscape of Montenegro.