The Republic of Montenegro is situated in South-Eastern Europe, bordering Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia and Albania, and has approximately 630 000 inhabitants 
https://www.monstat.org/userfiles/file/popis2011/saopstenje/Saop%20%20struktura%20domacinstava%2004_11engleski.pdf. 
Following the restoration of independence in 2006, Montenegro formally joined the international community as the 192nd member of the United Nations on 28 June 2006 and as the 47th member of the Council of Europe on 11 May 2007. The country formally applied for membership of the European Union in December 2008; two years later, it obtained the status of candidate country and in 2019 Montenegro leads as regards the number of negotiation chapters open (32 chapters out of 33) in comparison with the other candidate countries in the Western Balkans region. In mid-2017, Montenegro became the 29th member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Given the above, it is clear that the framework for progress and development of the state is determined by the obligations stemming from the process of Euro-Atlantic integration. 

Main concepts 
 

Youth participation is undoubtedly a very important factor in the process of democratization and socio-economic development of Montenegro, especially taking into account that young people aged 15-29 represent 23.2% of the total Montenegrin population. In proportion to their numbers, young people should be the main pillar of the development of the society, and for this reason they should be enabled to participate actively. However, despite the legal framework providing a setting for active youth participation, there are various hindering factors including low information and motivation of youth.
Active democratization of Montenegrin society furthermore implies the existence of active civil participation. The National Human Development Report6 remarks that, at the community or society level, citizens of Montenegro do not believe that individuals can influence decision making, so their level of participation in non-governmental organizations, associations, clubs and other forms of civil society is relatively low.
The Civil Participation Index (2014) of young people in Montenegro (18-35) is 0.38 and marks a drop when compared to 2010, but it is still slightly higher in comparison with other age groups. 54% of young people in Montenegro believe that it is impossible to influence the processes in the community/state and 66% believe that they cannot influence decision-making processes. The results of consultations with young people 7 reflect their opinion on current possibilities for youth participation, which is the highest in the family (although they are partially hindered even there); they were less involved in the decision making in their local communities (62.2%), the municipalities (72.4%) and in the state (70.7%). The data on youth participation furthermore reveal that each mechanism for participation of citizens is unknown to at least half of the young respondents. It points out the possibility that there is a certain lack of interest among young people to formalize their activism through establishing youth organizations, because they believe that this framework would not offer them anything new or they are now aware of the existence of that possibility, so only one in 10 young respondents claimed to know how a youth organization is established. On the other hand, 91% of young people believe that the world would be a better place if everyone participated in community development. More than 90% of young people believe that they should be involved in decision making at all levels, and they think they could contribute the most in the area of human rights, local community development, economy, politics and culture. 40% of young people, however, believe that youth should not be actively involved in politics.9

There are several normative and policy documents defining (more or less directly) the context and concept of youth participation. In the most general note, Montenegro has consented to protect and promote basic human rights for children through the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 
The Constitution of the Republic of Montenegro (2007) https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Montenegro_2007.pdf , furthermore, guarantees human rights and liberties i.e.: a) “freedom of assembly”, stipulating that “the freedom of peaceful assembly, without approval, with prior notification of the competent authority shall be guaranteed” (Article 52/2); and b) “freedom of association”, stating that “the freedom of political, trade union and other association and action, without approval, by the registration with the competent authority, shall be guaranteed” (Article 53/2). No one shall be forced to become a member of an association. The state supports political and other associations when there is a public interest to do so. 
The Law on Local Self-Government  https://wapi.gov.me/download/144e556c-469b-4184-aa94-89f39bda415a?version=1.0 deals with the issue of citizen participation at the local level, and prescribes that citizens shall participate in decision-making processes relating to their needs and interests, directly and through freely elected representatives in local self-government bodies. According to this law (Article 1/1), local self-government encompasses the right of citizens and local self-government bodies to regulate and manage certain public and other affairs, within the limits set by the law, on the basis of their own responsibility and in the interest of the local population.
The Law on Youth (2019, Article 5) https://pjp-eu.coe.int/documents/42128013/63134234/Youth_policy-MNE-2020.pdf/2f9332e6-6629-58b4-0d82-256aa5be8c06  defines youth participation as one of the areas of public interest in terms of “encouraging the proactive participation of young people in the creation and implementation of youth policy at the state and local level” and “encouraging the involvement of youth in non-formal education”. Youth participation represents a broader construct, not only regarding participation in decision making, but also participation in creating solutions, initiating solutions, participating in all phases of active decision making. According to this law (Article 7), youth policy is based on the principles of equality, volunteerism, solidarity, active participation and information for young people. Active participation of young people means that “youth actively participate in the process of organizing and implementing the programmes in the field of youth policy through the co-ordination of the development of interdisciplinary partnerships, co-operation between the young people and the young people in planning and conducting the youth affairs” (Article 11).
Additional information on legal framework for youth participation is given in section 5.3.
The Youth Strategy 2017-2021 http://www.strategijazamlade.me/download/Strategija%20za%20mlade%20eng.pdf  defines youth participation as social involvement and youth activism, active participation of young people in solving issues that are relevant to them as well as decision making both in local communities and at the state level. This social involvement is being achieved through engagement in political parties, civil society organizations, and independent youth associations and volunteer work or through other forms of formal and non-formal civic associations. The strategy recognizes two forms of youth/citizens participation, i.e. the “prescribed” or “formal” participation through mechanisms and in opportunities offered and requested by the government.


Institutions of representative democracy

The country’s constitutional structure (e.g. if it is a centralized or a federal system; if it is a presidential democracy, a parliamentary democracy, constitutional monarchy etc.): Montenegro is a parliamentary state. The Constitution of the Republic of Montenegro (2007) 10 defines basic provisions on the type of government envisioned stating that Montenegro is an independent and sovereign state, with a republican form of government. According to the Article 1 of the Constitution, Montenegro is 'an independent and sovereign state, with a republican form of government’. Montenegro is also defined as ‘a civil, democratic, environmental and the state of social justice, based on the rule of law’.
Its main representative institutions at the national/federal (e.g. parliament, parliamentary assembly, house of representatives), regional (e.g. regional assembly) and local level (e.g. mayoral office, municipal council, local council etc.): The Constitution of the Republic of Montenegro (2007) defines the division of powers (Article 11), establishing that power shall be regulated following the principle of the division of powers into the legislative, executive and judicial. The legislative power shall be exercised by the parliament,11 the executive power by the government 12 and the judicial by the courts. The parliament consists of deputies elected by direct secret ballot by the citizens, on the basis of universal and equal suffrage. The structure of parliament is unicameral. The power is limited by the constitution and the law. The relationship between powers shall be based on balance and mutual control. Montenegro is represented by the President of Montenegro, and constitutionality and legality protected by the Constitutional Court of Montenegro.13
• The Law on Local Self-Government14 (Article 2) https://wapi.gov.me/download/144e556c-469b-4184-aa94-89f39bda415a?version=1.0 states that “a local self-government is realized in the different units of local self-government, including: the municipality; the municipality within the Capital City; the Capital city; and the Capital (hereinafter: the municipality), terminology used to identify different administrative entities”. Local self-government is realized “on the principles of democracy, equality, decentralization, depoliticization, autonomy, legality, professionalism, efficiency of the work of local self-government bodies and mutual co-operation between the State and the municipality” (Article 3). In the performance of local government affairs, the municipality is independent and its rights cannot be deprived or limited by the acts of state bodies, except in cases and under the conditions laid down by law, in accordance with the Constitution (Article 9). In accordance with the same law, the municipal bodies are:
1.    the municipal assembly (hereinafter: the assembly) – the representative body of the citizens of the municipality. The elections for the assembly are announced by the president of the state (Article 36). The mandate of the assembly lasts for four years (Article 37). The president of the assembly from the ranks of councilors is elected by the assembly, at the proposal of one third of the councilors, by a majority of votes of the total number of councilors. The mandate of the president of the assembly takes as long as the mandate of the assembly. The function of the president of the assembly is professional. The manner and procedure for election of the president of the assembly is regulated by the statute of the municipality. 
2.    The president of the municipality – the executive body of the municipality. The function of the president of the municipality is professional. The president of the municipality is elected for a period of four years. A person who meets the conditions for election of councilors may be elected as president of the municipality, in accordance with the law governing the election of councilors and deputies. The right to nominate a candidate for the president of a municipality has at least one third of the councilors (Article 55).
The main legal principles concerning elections, such as whether voting is compulsory and how the vote is cast (by ballot, by post, by proxy etc.): Montenegro’s constitution (2007) defines “electoral right” within the wider scope of political rights and liberties (Article 45/3), stating that: “The electoral right shall be exercised in elections; the electoral right shall be general and equal; elections shall be free and direct, by secret ballot.”
• Voting system: Voting in Montenegro is not compulsory. 
• Electoral Law: 15 18 February 1998, last amended on 21 March 2014. 
• Mode of designation: directly elected 
 

• Voting system: Voting in Montenegro is not compulsory. • Electoral Law: 15 18 February 1998, last amended on 21 March 2014. • Mode of designation: directly elected • Constituencies: One nationwide constituency of 81 seats. • Proportional: Party-list system (closed list): Political parties (independently or in coalitions) or groups of citizens submit a single election list. Seats are attributed according to the highest average system, using the d’Hondt system. Parties or groups which obtain at least 3% of the total valid votes are entitled to parliamentary representation. One nationwide constituency of 81 seats. 
• Proportional: Party-list system (closed list): Political parties (independently or in coalitions) or groups of citizens submit a single election list. Seats are attributed according to the highest average system, using the d’Hondt system. Parties or groups which obtain at least 3% of the total valid votes are entitled to parliamentary representation.
Special thresholds: 
1. For election lists for representatives of certain minority groups or communities, as specified in the election application or title of the electoral list: In the event that none of them surpasses the 3% threshold but they win separately at least 0.7% of the valid votes, they are entitled to win up to three seats as a single (collective) electoral list based on the total number of valid votes that they collectively win. This special threshold applies to electoral lists representing the same minority groups or communities that account for up to 15% of the total population in the electoral constituency based on the latest census. 
2. For electoral lists representing Croatians in Montenegro, in cases where none of the candidates wins 3% of the valid votes, or separately wins at least 0.7% of the valid votes, the most successful list that obtains no less than 0.35% of valid votes shall be entitled to one seat. Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through “next-in-line” candidates from the same party. If the term of office ends for an MP of the less represented gender, the next candidate on the electoral list of the less represented gender shall be elected to replace the MP.
Voter requirements: citizenship of Montenegro (including naturalized citizens); residence in the country for at least 24 months prior to election; disqualifications: insanity/mental illness, undocumented immigrants.