Local elections to test balance of power in Macedonia

Local elections to test balance of power in Macedonia
VMRO-DPMNE campaigners in the town of Bitola promise “a future without migration and without bilingualism” - a reference to the SDSM's pledge to broaden the official use of the Albanian language in the country. / VMRO-DPMNE
By bne IntelliNews October 13, 2017

Macedonia’s October 15 local elections are seen as a popularity test for both the governing Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) and for VMRO-DPMNE, which went into opposition in May after decade in power. 

The SDSM is hoping to consolidate its somewhat precarious position — it is ruling with the support of parties representing the ethnic Albanian minority and has an extremely narrow majority in parliament — by taking at least some of the local council positions that are overwhelmingly in the hands of VMRO. 

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently noted that the slim-majority governing coalition led by the Social Democrats may be tested in the upcoming local elections, and that renewed political uncertainty could undermine fragile confidence.

A couple of years of unrest, occasionally erupting into mass protests, shook Macedonia before the SDSM finally managed to dislodge VMRO from office and form a new government. The lengthy political crisis culminated in May in a storming of the parliament by an angry crowd of VMRO supporters. The first sentence connected to the violence in the parliament has just been issued. 

Ahead of the election, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev urged voters to liberate the country from the remnants of the previous “criminal regime” of VMRO-DPMNE.

Conversely, VMRO wants to hang onto as many local government posts as possible, after winning most of the mayor positions in the country in the previous local election in 2013. Opposition leader and ex-prime minister Nikola Gruevski has said he will resign if VMRO loses the election.

Nineteen parties and coalitions will participate in the high stakes local election, the sixth local vote in Macedonia since its independence in 1991.

Over 1.8mn people will be eligible to vote in the election, according to the central election commission. 

Polls show a small advantage for the SDSM ahead of VMRO. According to the poll conducted by the International Republican Institute (IRI) in September, 69% of those surveyed think that mayors and city councils should be changed in the upcoming local election.

19% said they would vote for SDSM candidates for mayor posts, and 18% for VMRO candidates. 7% would vote for independent candidates, while the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) had the support of 7%, the Alliance of Albanians 5% and Besa (another ethnic Albanian party) 4%.

Ballots will be cast in 3,480 polling stations in 80 municipalities plus in the capital Skopje, as a separate municipal unit. The second round of voting, in constituencies where there is no clear winner, will be held on October 29.

Among the candidates are Skopje’s current mayor Koce Trajanovski who is facing off a challenge from SDSM candidate Petre Silegov.

The SDSM says it guarantees that the authorities will ensure a free and fair vote; a natural cause for concern in the country where the previous general elections have sparked accusations of vote rigging. 

The international observers monitoring the municipal elections will present their preliminary post-election statement on October 16, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said in a statement.

The international election observation mission comprises more than 200 observers from 31 countries, including over 190 long-term and short-term observers and experts deployed by the OSCE/ODIHR and 13 observers from the delegation of the Congress.

Related Articles

EIB surpasses investment milestone in the Western Balkans by investing €1.2bn in 2023

EIB Global, the financial arm of the European Investment Bank (EIB) for activities beyond the EU, set a new record by investing €1.2bn in the Western Balkans in 2023, the EIB said on February 9. ... ... more

bne IntelliNews Southeast Europe Outlook 2024

This Southeast Europe Outlook 2024 has been prepared by bne IntelliNews as part of a series of annual reviews providing updates on the geopolitical, macroeconomic and commercial state of ... more

North Macedonia banks' loan portfolio expands 5.3% y/y, deposits up 8% y/y at end-October

The total loan portfolio of North Macedonia’s commercial banks expanded by an annual 5.3% at the end of October to MKD437.7bn (€7.1bn), slowing slightly from a 5.8% y/y increase in the previous ... more

Dismiss