Opposition Rightist in North Macedonia Takes Lead in Presidential Poll Runoff on May 8
North Macedonian Presidential Candidate Leads in Election, Runoff Set for May 8
North Macedonian Presidential Candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova Leads in Election, But Falls Short of Majority
In a closely watched presidential election in North Macedonia, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, the candidate from the rightist VMRO-DPMNE party, has emerged as the frontrunner with 40.08% of the votes. Incumbent Stevo Pendarovski, who is supported by the Social Democratic party, trails behind with 19.93% of the votes. However, neither candidate has reached the 50% threshold needed to win outright.
With votes counted from 99.03% of polling stations, a runoff between Siljanovska-Davkova and Pendarovski is set to take place on May 8, alongside the parliamentary election. The outcome of the presidential race is seen as a key indicator for the upcoming parliamentary election, where VMRO-DPMNE is aiming to challenge the ruling pro-European and center-left Social Democrats.
“This is incredibly inspirational for me, … this is the end of the first round, the second round is approaching,” said Siljanovska-Davkova, expressing her gratitude to supporters in Skopje. The VMRO-DPMNE party has gained momentum in recent years due to public dissatisfaction with the slow progress of the country’s EU accession, corruption, and economic development.
Meanwhile, Pendarovski acknowledged the election results as a setback for pro-European forces but vowed to continue campaigning for the May 8 runoff. The candidacy of North Macedonia to join the EU, which began in 2005, has faced obstacles, including opposition from EU members Greece and Bulgaria.
The 2017 agreement to change the country’s name from Macedonia to North Macedonia resolved a long-standing dispute with Greece, but Bulgaria’s veto in 2020 over historical and linguistic issues has complicated the country’s path to EU membership. Despite these challenges, North Macedonia joined NATO in 2020, with hopes of faster integration into the EU.
As the political landscape in North Macedonia evolves, the upcoming runoff election and parliamentary vote will be crucial in determining the country’s future direction. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic and Fatos Bytyci; Editing by Gerry Doyle) Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters.
