OSCE Mission survey: 65 percent of citizens believe that elections in Montenegro are fully or partially free

The majority of Montenegrin citizens, 65 percent, believe that elections in Montenegro are fully or partially free, which represents an increase in confidence compared to a survey from 2023, when 58 percent of respondents held the same view, according to a survey by the OSCE Mission in Podgorica.

The survey "Public Trust in Elections in Montenegro" was conducted by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the Damar Institute on a sample of 1,2 thousand respondents from November 24 to December 7 last year.

The OSCE Mission said that the research reflects attitudes towards electoral reform in Montenegro, and includes issues related to the implementation of OSCE/ODIHR recommendations to Montenegro, as well as recommendations from non-governmental organizations monitoring electoral processes.

According to the survey results, almost 43 percent of respondents believe that Montenegro should continue with the reform of electoral legislation, while 22 percent express distrust in the vote counting procedure, which highlights the need for further efforts to strengthen trust.

As stated by the OSCE Mission, the conclusions of the survey indicate generally positive perceptions of the voting process, with 51 percent of citizens believing that voting procedures are simple, while more than a third believe that they are partially simple.

"In addition, the majority of respondents report being well-informed about how to vote, reflecting improvements in voter awareness over time," the statement added.

The OSCE Mission said that about 42 percent of respondents believe that the voter register contains accurate data, which is a slight improvement compared to 2023, when only 31 percent believed in the accuracy of the data in the voter register.

"The survey findings show that confidence in elections is gradually strengthening, but they also highlight the importance of continuing reforms and public discussions," said the Head of the OSCE Mission, Jan Haukas.

Since 2021, the OSCE Mission has been researching public perceptions on the topic of elections, including the work of electoral bodies, electoral reforms, and media coverage.

The Mission has also been supporting electoral processes since 2016 and is the only international organization that provides continuous assistance to electoral bodies with the aim of increasing their transparency and inclusiveness.