Large lead of VMRO presidential candidate in North Macedonia

With 90% of the votes counted, Gordana Silianovska gathers around 40%, while Stevo Pendarovski 19% of the votes. In third place is 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%.

VMRO-DPMNE President Mr Mickoski and Ms Silianovska are two of the main critics of the Prespa Agreement and those who led the campaign to reject the Agreement which led to the change of the country’s constitutional name. The issue was brought up again in the pre-election period.

Mrs. Silianovska stated a few days ago that she herself will not use the new name when she assumes her duties if she is of course elected to the position of President of the country. According to the MIA news agency, Silianovska has 324,177 votes and Pentarovki 161,393 votes, in 90% of the ballots that have been counted, and based on the first analyzes in Skopje, this difference is very unlikely to be overturned in the second round.

The first statements about the result

Gordana Silianovska in her statements late last night spoke of an “excellent result” and added: “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 for their support” noted Mrs. Silianovska.

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.