In Skopje, North Macedonia, voters are set to cast their ballots for a double election – parliamentary and presidential – with a focus on the country’s aspirations to join the European Union. The parliamentary election holds more significance, as the office of prime minister holds real power compared to the largely ceremonial role of the president. The opposition center-right coalition is favored to win both elections, as they push back against neighboring Bulgaria’s conditions for the country’s EU candidacy.
The parliamentary election for North Macedonia’s unicameral parliament will take place in a single round, while the presidential election consists of a runoff of a two-round contest that began in April. Over 1,700 candidates are vying for the 120 seats in the parliament, with three seats reserved for expatriates. In the previous election in 2020, turnout was too low to fill those expatriate seats, highlighting a potential challenge for voter engagement.
The main issues at stake in the election campaign include fighting corruption, addressing economic challenges, and reducing poverty. A key point of contention has been North Macedonia’s efforts to join the EU, with neighboring Bulgaria demanding official recognition of the Bulgarian minority in North Macedonia’s constitution. The ruling center-left coalition has supported Bulgaria’s demands, while the center-right opposition has criticized them as capitulation.
North Macedonia has been a candidate to join the EU since 2005, but faced hurdles due to disputes with Greece over the use of the name “Macedonia.” The issue was resolved in 2018 when the country adopted the name North Macedonia, but Bulgaria has since imposed a veto on North Macedonia’s EU bid. Formally negotiating EU membership is expected to be a lengthy process for North Macedonia, with the country needing to make constitutional amendments to address Bulgaria’s demands.
Corruption has been a major focus of the election campaign, with North Macedonia being cited by the European Commission and the U.S. government for its corruption challenges. The opposition has accused the ruling center-left coalition of widespread corruption, while the ruling party has acknowledged the need for more action against corrupt practices. Both major coalitions in the election have made promises to tackle corruption and improve governance.
The main candidates in the election include the incumbent Stevo Pendarovski of the center-left coalition and Gordana Siljanovska Davkova of the center-right opposition for the presidency. The center-right coalition led by VMRO-DPMNE is ahead in polling, with their leader, Hristijan Mickoski, seen as a likely contender for the prime minister’s position. The election also features separate coalitions representing the large Albanian minority in North Macedonia, with potential implications for coalition-building post-election.
