VMRO-DPMNE

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.

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.

Polls have opened in North Macedonia for a presidential election runoff between two top vote-getters from the first round.

More than 3,400 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local Sunday.

Newly renamed North Macedonia heads to the polls on Sunday for runoff presidential elections. Two candidates, both university professors, are competing for the post after the third candidate was knocked in last month's first round.

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.

Polls opened early Sunday in North Macedonia for a presidential election seen as a key test for the government following the country's changing its name to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece over the use of the term "Macedonia".

More than 3,400 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and will close at 7 p.m. (1700GMT).

The elected will be the first head of state after the change of name of our Southwest neighbor, reported NOVA TV. 

The Republic of Northern Macedonia officially launches the election campaign for the upcoming presidential elections.

Three candidates are running: the ruling SDSM-DUI coalition's Stevo Pendarovski, whose slogan is "Together forward"; opposition VMRO-DPMNE's Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova ("Justice for Macedonia, Fatherland is calling"); and Besim Blerim Reka, who represents a coalition of ethnic Albanian parties, whose slogan is, "Reka for the Republic."

North Macedonia's Prime Minister, Zoran Zaev, has said that he agreed to change his country's name and Constitution because PM Alexis Tsipras accepted the existence of a "Macedonian identity".

In a debate with opposition VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski, Zaev also noted that Tsipras had initially accepted the name Republic of Ilinden Macedonia.

Gordana Siljanovska has the nomination of the right-wing opposition VMRO DPMNE party for her presidential candidacy, but insists she is an independent thinker who cherishes the rule of law.