North Macedonia elections and politics (presidential & legislative elections May 8 2024)

[Storr]

"SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — North Macedonia ’s parliament speaker on Wednesday formally set early parliamentary and presidential elections in the spring as the country makes a bid to join the European Union.

Following opposition pressure, North Macedonia’s main political parties agreed in December to organize general elections on May 8, two months early. A caretaker government was appointed last month.

Whoever forms the next government will face pressure from the European Union to approve unpopular constitutional changes as part of the country’s bid to join the bloc."

https://apnews.com/article/north-macedonia-early-elections-spring-eu-b147edad49399ef5bc463404309f2b7b

[Storr]

"Journalists fear North Macedonia’s new media law"

"Journalists are accusing North Macedonia’s ruling party and opposition of banding together to restrict press freedom, ahead of an election in the Balkan country.

The country’s parliament in February approved changes to the law with the support of 78 out of 120 lawmakers, lifting the ban on government and municipal advertising on the TV and radio, which President Stevo Pendarovski signed into law in March.

The same Social Democrat government had originally abolished state advertising in 2017.

Macedonians are heading to the polls for the first round of presidential elections on Wednesday, followed by a second round on May 8."

[Storr]

68.99% of precincts counted:

Siljanovska Davkova: 38.88%
Pendarovski: 19.04%
Osmani: 14.76%
Taravari: 10.67%
Dimitrievski: 8.35%
Vankovska Cvetkovska: 4.52%
Jakimovski: 0.89%

[Storr]

83.12% of precincts counted:

Siljanovska Davkova: 40.05%
Pendarovski: 19.55%
Osmani: 14.17%
Taravari: 10.01%
Dimitrievski: 8.47%
Vankovska Cvetkovska: 4.28%
Jakimovski: 0.71%

[Storr]

99.03% of precincts counted:

Siljanovska Davkova: 40.09%
Pendarovski: 19.93%
Osmani: 13.36%
Dimitrievski: 9.26%
Taravari: 9.21%
Vankovska Cvetkovska: 4.55%
Jakimovski: 0.90%

[Storr]

Is it fair to say Siljanovska Davkova is favored in the runoff?

Yes. A March second round poll had Siljanovska Davkova: 55.8% Pendarovski: 44.2%

Meanwhile: "The Democratic Union for Integration, which represents ethnic Albanians and is led by former Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani, offered its support in the second round to any candidate who supports having the President selected by the Assembly of North Macedonia in future elections, in the hopes of having an ethnic Albanian attaining the office. However, both Pendarovski and Siljanovska-Davkova have dismissed the proposal, saying it is democratic for the Presidency to be selected through direct voting."

[Storr]

And the classic Balkan ethno nationalist BS begins:

"Speaking on Sky TV this morning, Mitsotakis reiterated his party's previous opposition to ratifying the Prespa Treaty in early 2019. He emphasized that recent developments in Skopje, where newly elected President Gordana Siljanovska began using "Macedonia" instead of the agreed constitutional name "Republic of North Macedonia" during her inauguration, confirm the validity of his party's reservations."