Presidential elections – North Macedonia: Big lead for Silianovska of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE

The candidate of the right-wing opposition party VMRO-DPMNE in the presidential elections, Gordana Silianovska

The candidate of the right-wing opposition party VMRO-DPMNE in the presidential elections, Gordana Silianovska leads by twice the margin of the candidate of the ruling Social Democratic Party (SDSM) and outgoing president of North Macedonia, Stevo Pedarovski, according to the results announced by the National Electoral Commission of the country.

With 60% of the votes counted, Gordana Silianovska gathers 38%, while Stevo Pendarovski gets 19% of the votes. Third comes the candidate of the co-ruling Albanian party DUI and Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani with a percentage of 15%, followed by the candidate of the coalition of four opposition Albanian parties, Arben Taravari with a percentage of 12%.

Today, the first round of presidential elections was held in North Macedonia, in which seven candidates participated. In order to be elected president of the Republic of North Macedonia in the first round, it is required to receive more than 50% of the total electorate in the country, which is considered almost impossible. Therefore, a second round will be held, between the two winners of the first round.

The second round, which according to all indications will involve 70-year-old Gordana Silianovska and 60-year-old Stevo Pendarovski, will take place in two weeks (May 8) and will coincide with parliamentary elections in the country.

In today’s first round of presidential elections, turnout reached 50%, eight percentage points higher than in the first round of the previous presidential election held in April 2019.

According to political analysts in Skopje, the result of the first round of the presidential elections is expected to have an impact on the parliamentary elections on May 8, ahead of which, according to opinion polls, VMRO-DPMNE is ahead, and indeed by a large margin, over the ruling Social Democratic Party.

Read also

US: Official confirms delivery of ATACMS missiles to Ukraine

Spain: Investigation against Sanchez’s wife for corruption – Spanish Prime Minister considers resignation

Biden’s message on the Armenian Genocide: “The US will continue to speak out against intolerance”