Social Democratic Union of Macedonia

Macedonia's centre-right VMRO DPMNE comfortably won a fourth term in office and Ivanov secured the presidency for the second time, but the opposition Social Democrats, SDSM, claimed that the snap parliamentary polls and second-round presidential elections were fraudulent, setting the scene for fresh political discord in the country.

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov is set to win a second term, while his ruling VMRO-DPMNE is likely to stay in power after Sunday's 2-in-1 elections.

Ivanov has won 505.687 votes, and the ballots cast for his main rival socialist Stevo Pendarovski has been 372.886 after the counting of results in 95% of polling stations.

A dispute over the second-round presidential run-off and snap parliamentary elections erupted as polls closed at 7pm local time, with the authorities praising the vote as democratic while the opposition Social Democrats claimed the elections were fraudulent, setting the scene for fresh political discord in the country.

Polling stations will be open in Macedonia until 7pm Sunday.

This is the eighth general election since Macedonia became independent in the 1990s and the third early parliamentary election in a row. It is also the fifth presidential election since independence.

Campaigning is halting in Macedonia ahead of Sunday's elections, when almost 1.8 million registered voters will choose 123 MPs as well as the next head of state.

Macedonia's opposition Social Democratic party, SDSM, said it may not recognize the results of the presidential and general elections on April 27, which it is widely expected to lose.

The ruling VMRO DPMNE party said the Social Democrats were looking for an excuse for what seemed an inevitable defeat.

Days before Sunday’s early general and presidential elections in Macedonia, the opposition Social Democratic Party, the SDSM, has presented documents from the land registry that it says show the ruling party recently purchased over 20 apartments, office spaces and building lots worth some €1.6 million.

Macedonia's opposition Social Democratic Party, the SDSM, has filed charges against Prime Minister Gruevski on three accounts of taking bribes and tax evasion.

“By law, the minimum penalty for tax evasion alone is a minimum of four years in jail,” the head of the SDSM, Zoran Zaev, told a press conference.

Macedonia's opposition Social Democratic Party, SDSM, has accused Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski of selling Makedonska Banka AD to a controversial Serbian businessman, Jovica Stefanovic, known as “Gazda Nini” ["Boss Nini"] for a bribe.

Macedonian police said they would charge six people over a brawl that took place on Tuesday in Skopje’s Lisice district between supporters of the main ruling VMRO DPMNE party and the opposition Social Democrats, SDSM.

The affray erupted moments after the opposition Social Democrat presidential candidate, Stevo Pendarovski, left the area.