North Macedonia Presidential Election Sees Higher Voter Turnout, Runoff Set for May 8

The first round of North Macedonia's presidential election on Wednesday saw a higher voter turnout compared to five years ago, with opposition candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova taking a resounding victory with 40.08% of the vote. Incumbent President Stevo Pendarovski, endorsed by the ruling Social Democrats, came in second with 19.93% of the vote.

Since no candidate won more than 50%, the two frontrunners will compete in a runoff on May 8, which will take place in parallel with the much higher-stakes general election. The turnout in the first round stood at 49.95% of the 1,814,317 registered voters, up from around 41% in the 2019 presidential election.

Why this matters: The election is seen as a critical step in North Macedonia's bid to join the European Union, with EU membership talks having begun in 2022. The next president will oversee the country's long-anticipated entry into the EU, as North Macedonia has been seeking membership for nearly two decades with little progress.

The election comes amid a two-year standoff between the government and the opposition over how to deal with neighboring Bulgaria blocking North Macedonia's path to EU membership. The two main candidates have opposing views on constitutional changes needed to unlock EU accession talks, with Pendarovski and the SDSM prepared to make the amendments, while the VMRO-DPMNE says changes can only come after North Macedonia joins the EU.

Among the ethnic Albanian candidates, Bujar Osmani from the junior ruling party, the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), took the lead over his opponent from the joint Albanian opposition bloc, Arben Taravari. The election campaign focused on issues such as EU accession, the rule of law, fighting corruption, and reducing poverty.

Siljanovska-Davkova, the candidate backed by the center-right opposition coalition, emphasized her pro-EU credentials, saying this is the "beginning of a new era" and a "new European course" for the country. Pendarovski expressed disappointment with the result but said he hopes to do better in the second round, including with the support of the country's ethnic Albanian minority.

The first round of the presidential election is seen as a dress rehearsal for the parliamentary elections on May 8, which will be critical in determining the country's path forward. North Macedonia has been a candidate to join the EU since 2005, and voters expressed high expectations that the country will soon become a full-fledged EU member.

Key Takeaways

• North Macedonia's presidential election saw higher voter turnout.
• Opposition candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova won the first round with 40.08%.
• Runoff election on May 8 coincides with critical general election.
• Election is crucial for North Macedonia's EU membership bid.
• Candidates have opposing views on constitutional changes for EU accession.