Montenegrin society is characterized by pronounced dissatisfaction and deep political divisions, according to a survey conducted by the Damar Institute for the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT).
CDT Deputy Executive Director Milena Gvozdenović said that more than a third of citizens (36,3 percent) agree with statements that have a strongly polarizing character, which, as she stated, clearly indicates deep-rooted divisions and vulnerability to extreme narratives.
She said that the survey data shows that slightly less than half of citizens (45,4 percent) believe that the social situation in the country is not satisfactory, while only 22,2 percent are satisfied.
"As many as 53,7 percent of citizens believe that Montenegro is a 'deeply divided country,' while only 20,9 percent do not share that opinion," Gvozdenović stated.
She added that every fifth citizen believes that Montenegro is threatened with extinction, while half of citizens (52 percent) disagree.
Of particular concern, as Gvozdenović said, is the finding that 45,7 percent of respondents believe that the current socio-political situation should be fought "by all means", which implies the acceptance of a wide range of potentially undemocratic methods of action.
"At the same time, 40,7 percent of citizens share the belief that political elites contribute to the radicalization of public opinion, compared to 21,4 percent who are against such an assessment," said Gvozdenović.
According to her, while 39,3 percent of respondents say they fear for their own future and the future of their loved ones in the country, 32,2 percent do not share this concern.
Gvozdenović said that older generations show a higher degree of dissatisfaction with the situation in Montenegro, which, she said, may indicate accumulated disappointment.
"Minority communities, especially Bosniaks and Albanians, express greater concern than majority ethnic groups – more than two-thirds of them believe that the social situation is not at a satisfactory level," said Gvozdneović.
As she said, these findings do not necessarily indicate the presence of political extremism, but they strongly speak of general social dissatisfaction and the public's vulnerability to populist rhetoric and polarizing narratives, or a condition that can be instrumentalized if necessary.
"Such insights are particularly important in the context of Montenegro's democratic development, as they point to the need for responsible political action, open dialogue and strengthening trust in institutions," Gvozdenović assessed.
She stated that as part of the research, an experiment was conducted in which political statements were intentionally misattributed to actors from opposing political camps, in order to test citizens' resistance to manipulation of the source of information.
"The results show that citizens largely evaluate political messages based on the identity of the speaker, and not on the content of the statement itself," said Gvozdenović.
She said that, instead of evaluating messages according to the arguments they carry, respondents accept or reject them in accordance with their political and ethno-national affiliations.
"For example, it happens that a statement by a politician from the DPS is rejected by voters of that party if it is presented as a statement by a politician from the For the Future of Montenegro coalition, and vice versa," Gvozdenović stated.
This, she added, warns of the vulnerability of the public space in Montenegro to manipulation, but also of the deep political and ethnic polarization that conditions even basic judgment about given information.
"The research findings remind us of the necessity of developing media and digital literacy, but also of shared responsibility in building a culture of dialogue and responsible political communication," said Gvozdenović.
The survey was conducted between May 16th and 24th, on a sample of one thousand respondents.
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