Politics of North Macedonia

The relations between North Macedonia and Bulgaria are friendly, deep and warm. I think we have never had a better relationship. There is no citizen who does not confirm this thing. This is what Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said.

Macedonian Prime Minister and leader of the ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia/ SDSM / Zoran Zaev dismissed all 78 municipal party leaders.

Testing Relations

Zoran Zaev promised to take a 'broom' to top officials after the disappointing first round of presidential polls - but experts say the changes must come soon and must involve more than just a reshuffle.

Stevo Pendarovski won the presidential elections in northern Macedonia. The ruling coalition candidate received 51.66% of the votes, reported NOVA TV. 

Pendarovski faced a run-off against Gordana Silyanovska-Davkova, the opposition VMRO-DPMNE.

Pendarovski was elected by the ruling party of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev Social Democratic Union (SDSM).

Stevo Pendarovski is the new president of the Republic of North Macedonia. He defeated the candidate of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE Gordana Silyanovska-Davkova. Pendarovski was elected by the ruling party of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev Social Democratic Union (SDSM).

European Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn welcomed the election of Stevo Pendarovski as North Macedonia's new president, noting that EU accession talks for the Balkan country will begin in June.

Preliminary results from Sunday's second round of presidential elections in North Macedonia suggested that Stevo Pendarovski, the candidate supported by the country's ruling parties, has won the election, after taking a firm lead against his rival, Gordana Siljanovska, who was backed by the main opposition VMRO DPMNE party.

Polling stations opened on Sunday in the presidential election run-off in North Macedonia, amid fears that if the turnout is as low as it was in the first round, two weeks ago, the election process is in danger.

A total of 3,480 polling stations opened at 7am for an election in which some 1.8 million people have the right to vote.

Close Shave

The first round of Macedonia's presidential elections delivered a surprisingly close outcome - the ruling SDSM candidate, Stevo Pendarovski, emerged less than 1% ahead of his main challenger, Gordana Siljanovska. This was despite polls which had shown him to be up to 5% ahead.