In the recent parliamentary election in North Macedonia, a center-right 22-party coalition led by the VMRO-DPMNE party secured a significant win, garnering just over 43% of the votes. However, falling three seats short of a parliamentary majority, the coalition is now in search of a partnership with another party to form a government.
The head of the coalition, Hristijan Mickoski, expressed optimism and determination to move forward, stating that they have a job to do starting from the next day. Mickoski emphasized the importance of forming a government based on set principles that will not be deviated from.
Simultaneously, the country also witnessed a runoff for the presidential election, resulting in the victory of Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, who became North Macedonia's first female president. Siljanovska-Davkova secured nearly 65% of the votes, defeating the incumbent Stevo Pendarovski.
The outgoing Social Democrat-led coalition, which has been in power for the past seven years, faced a setback in the parliamentary election, securing only 15.3% of the votes. This paved the way for the center-right coalition to emerge as the leading force in the political landscape.
The conservatives' success in the election was attributed to public discontent over issues such as corruption, slow progress towards EU membership, and economic stagnation. Mickoski vowed to prioritize the fight against corruption in his government, promising accountability for those involved in corrupt practices.
With hopes high for North Macedonia's EU integration, the new leadership faces the challenge of addressing neighboring Bulgaria's demands regarding the recognition of a Bulgarian ethnic minority in the country's constitution. While differing opinions exist among political parties on this issue, the importance of staying on course towards EU membership was underscored by outgoing President Kovachevski.
The formal inauguration of the new president is expected by May 12, following the announcement of final official election results. The formation of the new parliament and the subsequent government will be crucial steps in shaping the country's future direction.
