In Black and White (Montenegro)

The Civic Platform "In Black and White" (Montenegrin: Otvorena građanska platforma "Crno na bijelo"/Отворена грађaнска платформа "Црно на бијело"), also branded as "In Black and White - The Citizens" (Crno na bijelo - Građani), known colloquially just as the In Black and White, was a social liberal, green and pro-European political platform and electoral list in Montenegro, launched by the Civic Movement URA, as well supported by European Greens prior to the 2020 parliamentary election.

In Black and White
Crno na bijelo
Црно на бијело
LeaderDritan Abazović
Founded13 July 2020
Dissolved2023
HeadquartersPodgorica
Ideology
Political positionCentre to centre-left
European affiliationEuropean Greens
Parliament
4 / 81
Mayors
1 / 25
Local Parliaments
37 / 847
Website
ura.org.me/

Since the constitution of the 11th assembly of the national parliament, URA and the Civis continued their alliance within the "In Black and White" parliamentary group. In addition to the URA and Civis, the coalition is also composed of several non-parliamentary minority interests, single-issue and regionalist parties, as well some independent liberal political organizations and NGOs. List also participated in 2020 and 2021 local elections. In the 2023 general elections, Civis runs on the Evropa Sad! lists and ends the coalition with URA.[1]

History

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2020 election

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The Civic Movement URA decided to run independently at the August 2020 parliamentary election, presenting its liberal, green politics and anti-corruption "In black and white", election platform, led by independent candidates, including well-known journalist and activist Milka Tadić, some university professors, journalists, civic and NGO activists, with the party leader Dritan Abazović as a ballot carrier, continuing cooperation with the liberal NGO Citizens' Union "Civis".[2] URA electoral list also contained one representative of the Bosniak minority interests Justice and Reconciliation Party, as well as some minor exra-parliamentary and localist parties and initiatives.[3] The election resulted in a victory for the opposition parties and the fall from power of the ruling DPS, which has ruled the country since the introduction of the multi-party system in 1990. The coalition won 5.58% of the popular vote, which equals 4 seats in the parliament.[4] Day after the election, coalition list leader Abazović and the leaders of the lists For the Future and Peace is Our Nation, Zdravko Krivokapić and Aleksa Bečić, agreed during a meeting on several principles on which the future government will rest, including the formation of an expert government, to continue to work on the European Union accession process, fight against corruption, reforms, as well overcoming society polarization.[5]

Further activities

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On 4 December 2020, the new big tent cabinet of Montenegro was elected by 41 out of 81 members of the Parliament of Montenegro, and independent candidate Zdravko Krivokapić became the new Prime Minister of Montenegro, with the URA leader Dritan Abazović as new Deputy Prime Minister, formally ending three decades of the DPS regime in the country.[6]

After the election, Civis organization grew into a political party and has a single representative in the parliament which belongs to dr Srđan Pavićević, while URA keeps the other three seats won. In September 2020, two parties formed a joint parliamentary group named after its election platform, continuing to support and participate in the expert government of Zdravko Krivokapić.[7] All political opinion polls published in the immediate aftermath of the election showed an increase in the ratings of the coalition led by Abazović, from the 5.5% they won at the election to between 8–13% of the popular support.[8]

Electoral performance

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Parliamentary election

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Parliament of Montenegro
Year Popular vote % of popular votes Overall seats won Government
2020 22,679 5.54%
4 / 81
government

Parliamentary group

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Member Main ideology Position Leader No. of seats
URA Social liberalism
Green politics
Centre to
centre-left
Dritan Abazović
3 / 81
Civis Liberalism
Technocracy
Centre to
centre-left
Srđan Pavićević
1 / 81

References

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  1. ^ "Evropa sad predala listu: Na njoj su i iz Ujedinjene, SPP, CIVIS-a i više lokalnih subjekata". Portalanalitika.me (in Montenegrin).
  2. ^ Šta piše i ko je potpisao platformu "Crno na bijelo": Smjena vlasti će izroditi drugačiju Crnu Goru, Vijesti
  3. ^ Stranka pravde i pomirenja Hazbije Kalača podžala Platformu Crno na bijelo, Vijesti, 2 August 2020
  4. ^ "Rezultati DIK-a na 100 odsto prebrojanih glasova: DPS 35.06, "Za budućnost Crne Gore" 32.55 odsto glasova". vijesti.me (in Serbian). Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Montenegrin opposition agrees on expert government, revision of disputed laws". N1. 2020-08-31. Archived from the original on 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
  6. ^ "Krizu prevazići reformama i znanjem", RTCG, 02-12-2020
  7. ^ Klubovi poslanika, Skupština Crne Gore/Parliament of Montenegro (Retrieved 28 October 2020)
  8. ^ Anketa NSPM: Krivokapićeva partija bi bila najjača, Vijesti, 22 October 2021 (Retrieved 18 July 2021)