In the recent elections held in North Macedonia, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, a 70-year-old law professor backed by the conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, has become the first woman to be elected as President of North Macedonia following a landslide victory in the second round of voting. She received almost 65% of the vote, with the incumbent Stevo Pendarovski conceding after securing less than 30%. This historic win follows VMRO-DPMNE’s significant gains in the parliamentary election due to popular dissatisfaction with the country’s slow progress towards European Union (EU) membership and economic stagnation. However, the conservative-led coalition faces negotiations for control of the 120-seat parliament, as the Social Democrat-led coalition, which has held power for at least seven years, struggles to maintain second place behind a group of parties led by the ethnic Albanian minority party DUI.
The month-long campaign for these elections centred around several key issues, including the sluggish pace of EU accession, corruption, poverty alleviation, and economic development. VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski, whose coalition includes 22 political parties, criticised his opponents for their perceived incompetence and failure to resolve border disputes with neighbouring countries. He promised that his incoming administration would prioritise anti-corruption efforts and pledged that everyone involved in corrupt practices would be held accountable.
Despite being an EU candidate since 2005, North Macedonia’s progress towards membership has been hindered by ongoing disputes with neighbouring states Greece and Bulgaria, as well as insufficient reform in certain areas. Other Balkan nations such as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia are also pursuing EU membership. Residents of Skopje, including Gordana Gerasimovski, expressed frustration about the lengthy delay in joining the EU, hoping that the new administration could make meaningful strides towards achieving this goal.
Approximately 2,300 domestic and international observers monitored these elections, which encompassed both a presidential and parliamentary vote. The outcome of the parliamentary election saw VMRO-DPMNE secure nearly 43% of the vote, while the Social Democrat-led coalition fell short in second place with 14.8%. The former Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski acknowledged his party’s defeat and resigned from his position, paving the way for a new leader to take charge.
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