Montenegro: "Lost" in Statehood Problem

almost 20 years since the fall of the semi-authoritarian regime, Montenegro is still regarded as a defective and not as a consolidated democracy. this article puts forward one key determinant for the slow process of democratic consolidation in Montenegro – the unresolved statehood problem. it thereby does not focus on the functional state, but instead uses the classical definition of statehood with three dimensions: state power, state territory, and the people. the article seeks to contribute to a better understanding of two issues: the democratization process of Montenegro and the relationship between the state and democracy. it uses the explaining outcome process tracing method and attempts to craft a minimally sufficient explanation of an outcome by developing theoretical causal mechanisms.