Montenegro's ruling party could be ousted from power for first time in 30 years

Montenegro's pro-Western Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) has secured 35% of votes in a tight and bitterly-contested parliamentary election, its worst result since the country won independence from Serbia 14 years ago.

Official results show the pro-Serbian opposition alliance on 32.5%, meaning that it could feasibly form a government if it can reach consensus with Montenegro's other two opposition parties. That would see the DPS lose control of power in the Balkan nation for the first time in 30 years.

President Milo Djukanovic, who has personally led Montenegro for three decades since Yugoslavia was dismantled in the early 1990s, said Monday that the DPS would respect the election results but claimed that it was "the strongest party in Montenegro."

Meanwhile, the leader of the pro-Serbian coalition, Zdravko Krivokapic, told supporters: "The regime has fallen."