page_title: Igor Lukšić
section_title: Ideology, political programme and views
hierarchical_section_title: Igor Lukšić / As Prime Minister / Ideology, political programme and views
context_page_description: Igor Lukšić is a Montenegrin politician who served as the 4th Prime Minister of Montenegro from 2010 to 2012, upon the resignation of Milo Đukanović. He was succeeded by Đukanović on 4 December 2012 and served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the latter's fourth cabinet from 2012 to 2016. Presently Lukšić is with PwC and handles public sector activities in the South East Europe. He is expected to assume the position of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council as of January 1, 2022.
context_section_description: Prime Minister Lukšić, then the youngest prime minister in the world, faced a double challenge: modernizing society and implementing reforms, while maintaining the political stability of the country and respecting traditions set by previous governments at the same time. As a result, regardless of his statements that his decisions were independent of the former President and Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, many still regarded the latter as a figurehead, and argued that the country was still being run from behind the scenes by Milo Djukanovic. Lukšić responded to the question from Reuters news agency, in his first interview to the foreign media after his confirmation as Prime Minister, saying, "I am in charge. I will always, when I find it necessary, consult with many people ... But I would not accept doing this job if I had to bear all the responsibility and if the decisions were made somewhere else." Lukšić's political credo was to govern by clear, precise and applicable rules, with the objective of leaving less room for discretionary decision making and corruption. While he said, "Montenegrin society has relied throughout its entire history on strong personalities", his main aim was to create trust in political institutions instead. 
  One of his top priorities was to achieve Montenegro's membership of the European Union as soon as possible. To speed up this process he demanded changes in values in society, and more individual initiatives than state interference. In his inaugural speech, he stated, "The Government cannot and should not be the solution to all of society's problems and shortcomings; it should be accountable and efficient in carrying out its constitutional and statutory obligations. I will require everyone to be accountable for his part in the task, so that we all individually and jointly contribute to Montenegro’s overall development."
  While as a member of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) he is officially a social democrat, several have observed that his views on economic policy are rather liberal. Furthermore, among his political ideals one could see more politicians from the right, than from the left. Besides the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Lukšić has mentioned the current British Prime Minister David Cameron as a respected contemporary politician (he also "likes" David Cameron on Facebook) and the former "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill are among his historical political models. Besides Lukšić's personal preferences, a reason can be the strong influence of the "neoliberal" economical school of Professor Veselin Vukotic in Montenegro at the University of Donja Gorica. Professor Vukotic was a teacher of both Milo Djukanovic and Igor Lukšić, an important figure in putting together the privatization programmes in Montenegro. (Igor Lukšić is a lecturer of economics at the University of Donja Gorica).
  At the same time, Igor Lukšić has used more "patriotic" messages than most members of the DPS, who show a much more technocratic attitude to politics. Unlike his predecessors, Lukšić emphasized his use of the Montenegrin language, and in his policies he tried to represent interests of the "Montenegrin nation".
caption: Igor Luksic with First Lady Michelle Obama and President of the United States Barack Obama
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