North Macedonia: Clear victory for the candidate of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE

The candidate of the right-wing opposition party VMRO-DPMNE, Gordana Silianovska, won a clear victory in yesterday’s first round of the presidential elections, winning with twice the percentage of her main opponent, the candidate of the ruling Social Democratic Party (SDSM) and outgoing president of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski.

According to the results announced by the National Electoral Commission of the country and as broadcast by APE-MBE, with 92% of the votes counted, Gordana Silianovska gathers 40%, while Stevo Pendarovski only 20% of the votes.

Third comes the candidate of the co-ruling Albanian party DUI and Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani (13.6%) and fourth the candidate of the coalition of four opposition Albanian parties Arben Taravari (9.6%).

Seven candidates participated in the first round of the presidential elections. In order for a president of the Republic of North Macedonia to be elected in the first round, it is required to secure more than 50% of the entire electorate in the country, which was considered completely unlikely to happen from the beginning. Therefore, a second round will be held, between the two winners of the first.

The second round, involving 70-year-old Gordana Silianovska and 60-year-old Stevo Pendarovski, will take place in two weeks (May 8) – at the same time as the parliamentary elections.

Gordana Silianovska in her statements late last night spoke of an “excellent result”. “I am proud of the citizens, not only of those who voted for me, but also of the rest, I am especially proud of the members of VMRO-DPMNE and their support,” Mrs. Silianovska noted.

Stevo Pendarovski admitted that the result was not what he wanted, but added that he will try for the upset in the second round.

VMRO-DPMNE leader Christian Mickoski spoke of a “political tsunami” in the country and expressed confidence that Gordana Silianovska will be the new president, while his party will score a “huge” victory in the parliamentary elections and form the next government.

SDSM leader Dimitar Kovacevsky acknowledged that the result of yesterday’s election was not what his party expected. Mr. Kovacevsky estimated that the voters punished the ruling faction for its mistakes and failures, while he judged that the result “at the same time is a blow to the country’s European perspective.”

Political analysts in Skopje comment that the highlight of the first round of the presidential election was the margin of victory of VMRO-DPMNE candidate Silianovska, which exceeded even the most optimistic predictions of the main opposition faction itself and is almost impossible to overturn. in the second round.

They also estimate that the result of yesterday’s elections sends a message of “disapproval” to the ruling Social Democratic Party, which after the departure of Zoran Zaev from its leadership is in decline. In parliamentary elections on May 8, the SDSM risks a crushing defeat, they add.

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