List of heads of state of Montenegro

This article lists the heads of state of Montenegro, from the establishment of the Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro to the present day.

The list includes the heads of state of the independent monarchies; Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro, Principality of Montenegro and Kingdom of Montenegro, as well as Socialist Republic of Montenegro, a constituent country of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and heads of state of the Republic of Montenegro (1992–2006), a constituent country of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia / State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Between 1943 and 1974, Montenegro's head of state was the speaker (president) of the Montenegrin parliament.

Monarchy

Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro (1696–1852)

Prince-Bishop				Reign			Claim
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	House	Reign start	Reign end	Duration	Claim
1		Danilo I Данило I (1670–1735)	Petrović-Njegoš	July 1696	11 January 1735	38 years, 6 months	Founder of the House of Petrović-Njegoš
2		Sava II Сава II (1702–1782)	Petrović-Njegoš	11 January 1735	9 March 1782	47 years, 57 days	Relative of Danilo I Ruled jointly with Vasilije III from 1750 until 10 March 1766
3		Vasilije III Василије III (1709–1766)	Petrović-Njegoš	1750	10 March 1766	16 years	Relative of Danilo I and Sava II Ruled jointly with Sava II
4		Petar I Петар I (1747–1830)	Petrović-Njegoš	March 1782	30 October 1830	48 years, 243 days	Relative of Sava II and Vasilije III
5		Petar II Петар II (1813–1851)	Petrović-Njegoš	30 October 1830	31 October 1851	21 years, 1 day	Relative of Petar I
6		Danilo II Данило II (1826–1860)	Petrović-Njegoš	1 January 1852	13 March 1852	72 days	Relative of Petar II

Principality of Montenegro (1852–1910)

Prince				Reign			Claim
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	House	Reign start	Reign end	Duration	Claim
1		Danilo I Данило I (1826–1860)	Petrović-Njegoš	13 March 1852	13 August 1860 (Assassinated)	8 years, 153 days	Previously ruled as Prince-Bishop
2		Nikola I Никола I (1841–1921)	Petrović-Njegoš	13 August 1860	28 August 1910	50 years, 15 days	Relative of Danilo I

Kingdom of Montenegro (1910–1918)

King				Reign			Claim
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	House	Reign start	Reign end	Duration	Claim
1		Nikola I Никола I (1841–1921) ^[a]	Petrović-Njegoš	28 August 1910	26 November 1918	8 years, 90 days	Previously ruled as Prince
From 1918 until 1941 Montenegro (later Zeta) was an oblast and later banovina within Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Republic

Socialist Republic of Montenegro (1943–1992)

SR Montenegro within Democratic Federal Yugoslavia and Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Parties: People's Front Communist Party / League of Communists Democratic Party of Socialists

Status: Denotes Acting President

President			Term of office			Party	Notes
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party	Notes
President of the Montenegrin Anti-Fascist Assembly of National Liberation 1943–1946
N/A		Niko Miljanić Никола Миљанић (1892–1957)	15 November 1943	21 November 1946	3 years, 6 days	Independent (People's Front)	Leader of Montenegrin wartime assembly.
Presidents of the Presidium of the People's Assembly 1946–1953
1		Miloš Rašović Милош Рашовић (1903–1968)	21 November 1946	6 November 1950	3 years, 350 days	Communist Party
2		Nikola Kovačević Никола Ковачевић (1890–1964)	6 November 1950	4 February 1953	2 years, 90 days	Communist Party (renamed)	Communist Party reformed and renamed into the League of Communists.
2		Nikola Kovačević Никола Ковачевић (1890–1964)	6 November 1950	4 February 1953	2 years, 90 days	League of Communists (renamed)
Presidents of the People's Assembly 1953–1974
(2)		Nikola Kovačević Никола Ковачевић (1890–1964)	4 February 1953	15 December 1953	314 days	League of Communists
3		Blažo Jovanović Блажо Јовановић (1907–1976)	15 December 1953	12 July 1962	8 years, 209 days	League of Communists
4		Filip Bajković Филип Бајковић (1910–1985)	12 July 1962	5 May 1963	297 days	League of Communists
5		Andrija Mugoša Андрија Мугоша (1912–2006)	5 May 1963	5 May 1967	4 years	League of Communists
6		Veljko Milatović Вељко Милатовић (1921–2004)	5 May 1967	6 October 1969	2 years, 154 days	League of Communists
7		Vidoje Žarković Видоје Жарковић (1927–2000)	6 October 1969	1 April 1974	4 years, 177 days	League of Communists
N/A		Budislav Šoškić Будислав Шошкић (1925–1979)	1 April 1974	5 April 1974	4 days	League of Communists	Acting President
Presidents of the Presidency 1974–1990
(6)		Veljko Milatović Вељко Милатовић (1921–2004)	5 April 1974	7 May 1982	8 years, 32 days	League of Communists
8		Veselin Đuranović Веселин Ђурановић (1925–1997)	7 May 1982	7 May 1983	1 year	League of Communists
9		Marko Orlandić Марко Орландић (1930–2019)	7 May 1983	7 May 1984	1 year	League of Communists
10		Miodrag Vlahović Миодраг Влаховић (1924–2006)	7 May 1984	7 May 1985	1 year	League of Communists
11		Branislav Šoškić Бранислав Шошкић (1922–2022)	7 May 1985	7 May 1986	1 year	League of Communists
12		Radivoje Brajović Радивоје Брајовић (born 1935)	7 May 1986	7 May 1988	2 years	League of Communists
13		Božina Ivanović Божина Ивановић (1931–2002)	7 May 1988	13 January 1989^[b]	251 days	League of Communists
N/A		Slobodan Simović Слободан Симовић (1939–1998)	13 January 1989	17 March 1989	63 days	League of Communists	Acting President
14		Branko Kostić Бранко Костић (1939–2020)	17 March 1989	23 December 1990	1 year, 281 days	League of Communists
President of the Republic 1990–1992
15		Momir Bulatović Момир Булатовић (1956–2019)	23 December 1990	28 April 1992	1 year, 127 days	League of Communists (until 1991)	League of Communists reformed and renamed into the Democratic Party of Socialists.
		Momir Bulatović Момир Булатовић (1956–2019)	23 December 1990	28 April 1992	1 year, 127 days	Democratic Party of Socialists (from 1991)

Republic of Montenegro (1992–2006)

Republic of Montenegro within Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro.

Parties: Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro Democratic Party of Socialists – Momir Bulatović Social Democratic Party of Montenegro

Status: Denotes Acting President

President			Election	Term of office			Party	Notes
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Election	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party	Notes
1 (15)		Momir Bulatović Момир Булатовић (1956–2019)	1990 1992	28 April 1992	15 January 1998	5 years, 262 days	Democratic Party of Socialists (until 1997)
		Momir Bulatović Момир Булатовић (1956–2019)	1990 1992	28 April 1992	15 January 1998	5 years, 262 days	DPS – Momir Bulatović (from 1997)
2 (16)		Milo Đukanović Мило Ђукановић (born 1962)	1997	15 January 1998	25 November 2002	4 years, 314 days	Democratic Party of Socialists
N/A		Filip Vujanović Филип Вујановић (born 1954)	—	25 November 2002	19 May 2003	175 days	Democratic Party of Socialists	Acting
N/A		Dragan Kujović Драган Кујовић (1948–2010)	—	19 May 2003	22 May 2003	3 days	Democratic Party of Socialists	Acting
N/A		Rifat Rastoder Рифат Растодер (1950–2023)	—	19 May 2003	22 May 2003	3 days	Social Democratic Party	Acting
3 (17)		Filip Vujanović Филип Вујановић (born 1954)	2003	22 May 2003	3 June 2006	3 years, 12 days	Democratic Party of Socialists

Montenegro (independent country, 2006–present)

Montenegro became an independent state on 3 June 2006.

Parties: Democratic Party of Socialists Europe Now! Independent

President			Election	Term of office			Party
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Election	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party
(3) (17)		Filip Vujanović Филип Вујановић (born 1954)	2008 2013	3 June 2006	20 May 2018	11 years, 351 days	Democratic Party of Socialists
4 (16)		Milo Đukanović Мило Ђукановић (born 1962)	2018	20 May 2018	20 May 2023	5 years	Democratic Party of Socialists
5 (17)		Jakov Milatović Јаков Милатовић (born 1986)	2023	20 May 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 194 days	Europe Now! (until 2024)
		Jakov Milatović Јаков Милатовић (born 1986)	2023	20 May 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 194 days	Independent (from 2024)