In 2006, following a national referendum, Montenegro notified the Serbian government it was going to withdraw from the state union of Serbia and Montenegro. Since then, national elections have been held to establish the government of the Republic of Montenegro, which has a presidential and parliamentary system of government.

The first elections in the newly independent Republic of Montenegro took place in September 2006. Held on the basis of universal suffrage, the elections were deemed free and fair, and the incumbent President was re-elected. The pro-European Union party formed the Coalition for European Montenegro and won 41 seats in the 81-seat Parliament. The pro-Serbian blocs together received 23 seats. The new Movement for Changes, standing on an anti-corruption and economic improvement platform, took 11 seats. Other seats were won by parties representing ethnic minorities, mainly Albanian.

9 women were elected to Parliament. Ethnic Albanians and Bosniaks participated in the elections; Roma were under-represented in the political process and in the government.

Discrimination on the basis of race, gender, disability, language or social status is prohibited, but discrimination still takes place. The judiciary is independent in law but reports cite inefficiency and corruption as problems.

The government co-operates with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Some reports note that police use surveillance against opposition parties and other groups. Organisations are said to operate on the assumption they could be under surveillance. Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) who serve as police officers work mainly in the Sandzak, a Muslim area in the north. Amnesty International called on the Montenegrin authorities to investigate allegations against police officers suspected of the torture and ill-treatment of ethnic Albanians. The government investigates abuse, but charges and sentences against police are rare. Corruption and impunity are problems. The perception of corruption in government is reported to be widespread.

Montenegro is undergoing a transition to a market economy. Unemployment has risen steeply, contributing to a large increase in poverty having a particular impact on the well-being of children. Some 12% of the population live below the poverty level. Poverty is highest among the Roma, refugees and internally displaced people. Young people under age 30 constitute 70% of the unemployed.

Access to information legislation has been passed and implemented, and files dating back to 1945 kept by security agencies in earlier regimes are now open to those concerned. Freedom of speech and of the press are guaranteed, but some restrictions exist. Despite pressures, the media remain active and operate without government restriction. Journalists are not reported to practise self-censorship, though the possibility exists of criminal libel charges or large fines against journalists. Internet access is not restricted.

Trafficking in persons is a serious problem; people are trafficked to, from, and within Montenegro. Reports accuse police and other officials of involvement in trafficking. Anti-trafficking efforts have been jointly instituted with other countries.

Social discrimination towards homosexuals is noted, though violence against homosexuals is rare and has been condemned by the government.

Education reform has been under way in Montenegro for a number of years. Primary education is free and compulsory for all children aged 7 to 15. Children attend an 8-year compulsory programme. The curriculum includes the history and culture of all ethnic groups in the country. The language of instruction is Serbian for Montenegrin, Bosniak and Croatian students and Albanian in some elementary and secondary schools with a significant number of Albanian children. Some Albanians criticise the government for not developing a special curriculum for Albanians, particularly on the subject of history.

Pre-school education is neither compulsory nor free. At age 6 pre-school is available in the afternoons for 1 year prior to the child starting at primary school. Secondary schools are divided into 3 types, and entry depends on primary school grades. The Gymnasium (Gimnazija) lasts for 4 years and offers an education considered preparatory for tertiary education. Professional schools (Stručna kola) last for 3 or 4 years, and students specialise in a specific vocational field but continue a broadly based education. Vocational schools (Zanatska kola) last for 3 years specialising in education for specific vocations.

Most Roma children receive little or no education beyond primary school; the government provided 13,000 textbooks in the Roma language to try to encourage Roma education.

Discrimination against persons with disabilities is prohibited in education and in other state services, but social discrimination exists. An estimated 6,000 to 7,000 children with disabilities live in the Republic. Only 10% of children with disabilities are reported to receive professional treatment or attend school. Only those with the mildest learning difficulties and only a limited number with physical disabilities attend regular schools. The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare covers the cost of pre-school education for families with disabled children that receive state allowances. A few disabled children attend pre-school groups in special schools.

3 special schools are in operation for mildly mentally challenged, physically disabled and deaf children, and 22 special classes exist within mainstream primary schools, where students are separated from mainstream classes. A special institution provides education for 130 severely disabled children and adults, though the facility is in need of repair and morale is low among those living and working there. Education reform looks at mainstreaming disabled students, but doing so requires training for teachers and modernisation of facilities.

The law does not provide for the granting of asylum or refugee status to persons in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol. Legislation has been passed but not implemented. The new Republic will deal with this issue. Conditions for refugees vary; some are with relatives, others have found housing and a few are employed. Some 17,000 internally displaced persons from Kosovo still live in Montenegro. The majority are Montenegrins or Serbs, but about 1,300 Roma also live in collective centres with limited access to education.

In Montenegro, religion and ethnicity are closely intertwined and not easy to distinguish as causes of discrimination. The Roma suffer prejudice, intimidation and mistreatment, often condoned by local authorities. A local NGO reports that 70% of Roma in Montenegro are illiterate and do not speak the local language, 95% are unemployed, 40% do not have access to public utilities (usually because of a lack of identity documents) and 90% live below the poverty level.

Reports do not indicate any government restrictions or violations of academic freedom. A pro-Serbian group of professors and other educational professionals have protested their dismissal by the government when they refused to teach in what the government terms "the mother tongue," so-called Montenegrin, which is essentially a local Serbian dialect. The dismissed professors claimed that they are only licensed to teach in the Serbian language and that the government's action was politically motivated. The government countered that the educators' strike amounted to a breach of contract. A Pro-Serbian group exists within the university, has long been supportive of the Belgrade regime and a number of years ago insisted on being paid in Serbian currency when the government adopted the Deutschmark as its currency.

Women do not have the same status in society as men. Few women are in senior management in government or business, though women are increasingly active in professional fields. In rural areas, among minority communities, women cannot always exercise their rights. Though legally entitled to equal pay for work of equal value, in practice they earn less than men.

Sexual harassment is a problem. It is illegal but is tolerated. Violence against women is illegal but continues, particularly in rural areas. Police response to domestic violence is reported to have improved. Trafficking in women and girls for sexual exploitation is a problem.

The minimum age for employment is 15, coinciding with the end of compulsory education. Younger children work with their families in agriculture. Roma children work from an early age in a variety of jobs in the informal sector. Some children are reported to work in the "grey zone" between voluntary and forced labour. Children are trafficked for sexual exploitation and child prostitution. Child labour in the formal sector is rare since monitoring takes place.

Workers have the right to form and join trade unions, except for military and police personnel. About 95% of the workforce in the formal economy is unionised. Collective bargaining is permitted and takes place, and the registered work force is covered by collective agreements. Union members have the right to strike, and legal strikes have taken place. The minimum wage of US$62 (52 euros) a month does not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. Employers pay the minimum wage. A 40-hour work week is the standard.

Separate education statistics are not available for Montenegro, which at the time of publication was still formally part of the state union of Serbia and Montenegro.