| Country: | Montenegro |
| Democratic People's Party | |
| Native Name: | Demokratska narodna partija Демократска народна партија |
| Leader: | Milan Knežević |
| Founders: | Milan Knežević Predrag Bulatović |
| Foundation: | September 2012 (citizen's group) 21 March 2015 (political party) |
| Split: | Socialist People's Party |
| Position: | Right-wing |
| National: | For the Future of Montenegro |
| Headquarters: | Podgorica |
| Seats1 Title: | Parliament |
| Website: | www.dnpcg.me |
The Democratic People's Party (DNP) is a Serb interests political party in Montenegro.
The Democratic People's Party was founded in 2015 from the former Socialist People's Party (SNP) faction led by Milan Knežević and Predrag Bulatović which left the Party and joined the Democratic Front alliance as an independent group, prior the October 2012 parliamentary election.[1] DNP currently has four MPs in the Parliament of Montenegro elected from the list of the Democratic Front alliance on 2016 election.
On 9 May 2019, paty leader Knežević, along with 13 another people found guilty by the Higher Court for the allegedly "plotting to commit terrorist acts and undermine the constitutional order of Montenegro on the day of 2016 parliamentary election." In 2021, the appellate court annulled the first instance verdict on all counts of the indictment.[2] [3]
The party views the Serb community, which it represents, as discriminated against. It sees Montenegro as pursuing the concept of a nation-state and the politics of assimilation. It demands that the Serbian language enters the Constitution of Montenegro as the official language. The party is currently the main advocate of Serbian-Montenegrin unionism, together with its coalition partner the New Serb Democracy.[4]
The Democratic People's Party jointly with New Serb Democracy maintains cooperation with Russian far-right Rodina and United Russia parties as well with Serb nationalist Alliance of Independent Social Democrats from Bosnia and Herzegovina,[5] and the party also maintains a very close cooperation with the right-wing populist Serbian Progressive Party regime in Serbia.
| 2013 | Miodrag Lekić | 154,289 | 48.79% | — | — | Independent, support | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Mladen Bojanić | 111,711 | 33.40% | — | — | Independent, support | ||
| 2023 | Andrija Mandić | 65,385 | 19.32% | — | — | Democratic Front |
| Election | Party leader | Performance | Alliance | Government | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | +/– | ||||
| 2012 | Milan Knežević | 82,773 | 22.82% | New | DF | ||
| 2016 | 77,784 | 20.32% | 1 | DF | |||
| 2020 | 133,261 | 32.55% | 1 | ZBCG | |||
| 2023 | 44,565 | 14.74% | 1 | ZBCG | |||