Gender Quotas Database
Montenegro
Southern Europe
Single / Lower House
Skupstina / Parliament
| Total seats | 81 |
| Total women | 22 |
| Percentage of women | 27% |
| Gender Quota target | 30% |
| Election year | 2023 |
| Electoral system | List PR |
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Election details | IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
In order to exercise the gender equality principle, there shall be at least 30% of candidates on the candidate list from the underrepresented sex. (Article 39a) |
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Electoral law |
Candidate lists not meeting the requirements referred to in paras. 1 and 2 of this Article shall be deemed to contain shortcomings in respect of its publishing, and the list submitting entity shall be invited to remove the shortcomings from the list, in conformity with this Law. The election commission shall refuse to publish candidate lists of candidate list submitting entities that do not remove shortcomings referred to in para.3 of this Article, in conformity with this Law. (Article 39a) |
| Rank order/placement rules | Electoral law |
Among each four candidates in the candidate list order (the first four places, the second four places and so on until the end of the list) there shall be at least one candidate who is a member of the underrepresented sex. (Article 39a) As an exception to para.2 of this Article, if the term of a councillor or MP from the underrepresented sex terminates, the successive candidate on the candidate list from among the underrepresented sex shall be elected in his place. If there are no more candidates of the underrepresented sex in the candidate list from which the councillor or MP was elected, the successive candidate in the order of the list shall be elected. (Article 104) |
| Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties related to gender equality among candidates? | Yes |
Allocation of a percentage of public funds is linked to the promotion/respect of gender equality. Public financial resources shall be distributed in equal amounts to political entities having won seats in the Parliament and/or municipal assemblies, and the remaining 60% shall be distributed in proportion to the total number of MP and/or councillor seats they have at the time of distribution, while the remaining 20% shall be distributed in equal amounts to political entities in the Parliament and/or municipal assemblies, in proportion to the number of elected representatives of the underrepresented gender. See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
| Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? | Yes, funding to women |
Distribution of budgetary resources for regular financing of women's organizations in political parties. See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
Quota at the Sub-National Level
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Gender Quota target | 30% |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
In order to exercise the gender equality principle, there shall be at least 30% of candidates on the candidate list from the underrepresented sex. (Article 39a) |
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Electoral law |
Candidate lists not meeting the requirements referred to in paras. 1 and 2 of this Article shall be deemed to contain shortcomings in respect of its publishing, and the list submitting entity shall be invited to remove the shortcomings from the list, in conformity with this Law. The election commission shall refuse to publish candidate lists of candidate list submitting entities that do not remove shortcomings referred to in para.3 of this Article, in conformity with this Law. (Article 39a) |
| Rank order/placement rules | No |
None |
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
| Party | Official Name | Details, Quota provisions |
|---|---|---|
| No data available. | ||
* Only political parties represented in parliament are included. When a country has legislated quotas in place, only political parties that have voluntary quotas that exceed the percentage/number of the national quota legislation are presented in this table.
Additional information
In 2011, the electoral law was amended to include a 30 per cent quota for either gender (OSCE/ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission 2012: 5). In the 2012 parliamentary elections, the 30 per cent quota regulation was implemented for the first time, resulting in a significant increase in the number of female candidates, from 14.7 per cent in the previous elections, to 31 per cent of all candidates in the 2012 parliamentary elections. The quota requirements were met but as the order of the candidates is not specified in the law, only 14 (17 per cent) women were elected.
In 2014, an amendment was introduced to the electoral law, stipulating that when the term of office of an MP of the less represented gender ends, the next candidate on the electoral list of the less represented gender is to be elected to replace the MP. In 2016, the law was further amended and no changes were made to the substance of the articles referring to the legsilated candidate quotas. However, "Non-compliance with the quotas prescribed by the Law on the Election of Councilors and Members of Parliament will further deepen the existing inequality of women in politics", said the President of the Assembly Danijela Đurović. (mina news - June 8th 2023)
Sources
Legal Sources:
- Montenegro's Constitution - Link
- Electoral Law (2020) - Link
- Law on Financing of Political Entities and Election Campaigns (2020) - Link
Other Sources:
- Parliament of Montenegro - Link
- Electoral Commission - Link
- Election FAQs: Montenegro Parliamentary Elections June 11, 2023 - Link
- Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe [OSCE] Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. (2012). Montenegro, Early Parliamentary Elections, 14 October 2012. Limited Election Observation Mission Final Report. [Last accessed: 2021-11-25]
- UN Women. (n.d.). Montenegro commits to implementing national plan and law towards equality in all areas
- adria.tv
- A legal platform for laws on Gender Equality - Montenegro
Additional reading
- Vukotić, A. (June 15, 2021). Recommendations for strengthening women's parliamentary representation in Montenegro. Women's Rights Center. [Last accessed: 2021-11-25]
- Dahlerup, D. & Antić Gaber, M. (2017). The legitimacy and effectiveness of gender quotas in politics in CE Europe. Teorija in praksa, 54.
- United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] & Ministry for Human and Minority Rights (n.d.). Women's Political Network (WPN) Montenegro. [European Institute for Gender Equality]
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