North Macedonia holds runoff vote for ceremonial presidency

North Macedonia held a competitive runoff election Sunday to choose a new president, a vote seen as a test of the center-left government's pro-West policies despite the largely ceremonial duties of the country's head of state.

The two candidates, Stevo Pendarovski of the ruling Social Democratic Union, and Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, who was backed by the conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, each received about 42% in the first round of voting on April 21. They took opposing positions in the campaign on the government's deal with Greece to rename the country in exchange for NATO membership.

The runoff took place in rainy weather, and a key question is whether turnout will reach the 40% threshold needed for the election to be valid. If too few ballots are cast Sunday, the two-round contest would be repeated.

"This is not a day to stay at home, but to...