The right-wing opposition has won the parliamentary and presidential elections in North Macedonia, with the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE receiving 43.1 percent of the vote. This replaces the social democratic SDSM, which has been in power since 2017. The Social Democrats suffered a bitter defeat, losing well over half of their voters.
With almost half of the seats in the new parliament, the right-wing opposition is in a comfortable position to choose their coalition partner. Opposition supporters celebrated in the streets of Skopje, while VMRO boss Mickoski declared it a historic victory for the Macedonian people. Mickoski campaigned on a confrontational course against neighboring countries in the event of an election victory.
The VMRO candidate also scored a clear victory in the runoff election for the office of the head of state. The incumbent, backed by the Social Democrats, had no chance this time. Bulgaria has demanded North Macedonia mention its minority in the constitution as a prerequisite for EU accession negotiations. The EU countries have the right to veto any progress in negotiations.
The right-wing victory reflects the disappointment of many with the ruling Social Democrats. The poor administration, nepotism, corruption, and economic decline were key issues in the election. The new government faces challenges in maintaining EU negotiations and improving governance. Mickoski’s leadership will be tested as he takes over