- By Thomas Mackintosh
- BBC news
Montenegro’s longtime leader Milo Djukanovic suffered a stunning defeat in the presidential election.
The 36-year-old centrist former economy minister, Jakov Milatovic, declared victory on Sunday night after the presidential run-off.
He will replace Mr Djukanovic, who has held power as president or prime minister of Montenegro for more than three decades.
Snap parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place in the summer.
“Tonight is the night we have been waiting for more than 30 years. I wish you a happy victory,” said Mr Milatovic who encouraged supporters of his Europe Now Movement in the capital, Podgorica.
He has promised to lead his small Balkan country into the European Union in the next five years.
Official results are expected later in the week – but two respected election monitoring organizations are projecting victory for Mr Milatovic.
The Center for Monitoring and Research polling group said Mr Milatovic got 60% of the vote.
Mr Djukanovic was Europe’s youngest prime minister when he took power aged 29 in 1991 – the start of Yugoslavia’s collapse. He led Montenegro to independence from Serbia in 2006.
As the extent of Mr Milatovic’s victory became clear on Sunday night, Mr Djukanovic acknowledged his defeat while wishing Milatovic success as president.
“Montenegro chose and I respect that choice,” he told his supporters.
Although the position of the presidency in Montenegro is largely ceremonial, the election victory could improve the party’s chances of winning the parliamentary elections on 11 June.
During the election campaign, Mr Milatovic promised to fight corruption, improve living standards and improve relations with the European Union and neighboring Serbia.
The 37-year-old received support from parties close to Serbia, Russia and the Orthodox Church.