North Macedonian parliamentary election, 2020

Summary:

Reports, analyses and information related to the early legislative election taking place in North Macedonia on 12 April 2020.

Further Information:

The country's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev called for an early election on 19 October 2019, following the failure by the European Union (EU) to provide a date for the launch of accession negotiations, despite an agreement with Greece on changing the country's name which had been widely seen as the main issue stalling the process. The leaders of the main political parties in North Macedonia agreed to hold an election on 12 April 2020 following a meeting with the country's President on 20 October.

The government officially stepped down on 4 January 2020, giving way to a caretaker cabinet including experts and some representatives of the opposition which would be tasked with the preparation of the election. On 16 February, the Parliament was formally dissolved and the election date confirmed for 12 April. However, the heads of the main political parties later agreed on 17 March to postpone the election due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

On 15 June, the main political parties agreed on a new date for the parliamentary election. Citizens returned to the polls on 15 July, while high-risk groups were allowed to vote beforehand. The incumbent centre-left SDSM was declared the winner of the election, slightly ahead (35.9%) of right-wing opposition VMRO-DPMNE (34.6%). Media outlets reported that coalition talks would be required for a parliamentary majority to be formed alongside a stable cabinet.

Official

OSCE: ODIHR: Early Parliamentary Elections, 12 April 2020 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/north-macedonia/447607

PES: News, 16/07/2020: PES congratulates SDSM on their strong election result in North Macedonia https://www.pes.eu/en/news-events/news/detail/PES-congratulates-SDSM-on-their-strong-election-result-in-North-Macedonia/

EU EEAS: Joint Statement by HR/VP Josep Borrell and Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi on the early parliamentary elections in North Macedonia (17 July 2020) https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/83066/

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News

BBC News, 19/10/2019: North Macedonia Calls Snap Election After EC Talks Setback https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50109054

Reuters, 19/10/2019: North Macedonian PM urges snap election after EU declines to launch accession talks https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1WY0B6

Euronews, 19/10/2019: North Macedonia PM calls for snap election after EU membership talks blocked https://www.euronews.com/2019/10/19/north-macedonia-pm-calls-for-snap-election-after-eu-membership-talks-blocked

Politico, 19/10/2019: North Macedonian prime minister calls for snap election after EU rebuff https://www.politico.eu/article/north-macedonian-prime-minister-calls-for-snap-election-after-eu-rebuff/

Reuters, 20/10/2019: North Macedonian Leaders Agree To Hold Snap Election on April 12 https://www.reuters.com/articleidUSKBN1WZ0OB

Bloomberg, 20/10/2019: North Macedonia Sets Date for Snap Election After EU Talks Fail https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-20/north-macedonia-sets-date-for-snap-election-after-eu-talks-fail

EUObserver, 21/10/2019: Snap elections in North Macedonia after EU rejection https://euobserver.com/enlargement/146343

Balkan Insight, 21/10/2019: Early Elections Test North Macedonia’s Unity over EU Drive https://balkaninsight.com/2019/10/21/early-elections-test-north-macedonias-unity-over-eu-drive/

Balkan Insight, 13/12/2019: North Macedonia Parties Unite Against Election Law Reform https://balkaninsight.com/2019/12/13/north-macedonia-parties-unite-against-election-law-reform/

EurActiv, 03/01/2020: North Macedonia PM Zaev quits before April polls https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/north-macedonia-pm-zaev-quits-before-april-polls/

Deutsche Welle, 03/01/2020: Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev resigns https://p.dw.com/p/3VgXJ

Kathimerini, 03/01/2020: North Macedonia elects caretaker government after Zaev resigns http://www.ekathimerini.com/248119/article/ekathimerini/news/north-macedonia-elects-caretaker-government-after-zaev-resigns

Politico, 03/01/2020: North Macedonia’s PM resigns https://www.politico.eu/article/north-macedonian-pm-zoran-zaev-resigns/

Reuters, 16/02/2020: North Macedonia parliament dissolves, sets poll date, after EU shuns talks https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN20A0ON

EUObserver, 19/02/2020: North Macedonia warns EU on 'dirtiest ever' election https://euobserver.com/enlargement/147494

EurActiv, 16/03/2020: Pressure on North Macedonia to delay elections over coronavirus https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/pressure-on-north-macedonia-to-delay-elections-over-coronavirus/

Balkan Insight, 17/03/2020: North Macedonia Postpones April Polls Over Pandemic https://balkaninsight.com/2020/03/17/north-macedonia-postpones-april-polls-over-pandemic/

Reuters, 17/03/2020: North Macedonia postpones April 12 election over coronavirus https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2142NB

Reuters, 15/06/2020: North Macedonia elections set for July 15 despite pandemic https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN23M2F1

Balkan Insight, 15/06/2020: North Macedonia Leaders Agree Election Date https://balkaninsight.com/2020/06/15/north-macedonia-leaders-agree-election-date/

EurActiv, 23/06/2020: North Macedonia faces ‘necessary evil’ when voters head to ballot https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/north-macedonia-faces-necessary-evil-when-voters-head-to-ballot/

Reuters, 14/07/2020: Leader who changed North Macedonia's name fights to keep power in vote https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN24F2X1

Politico, 14/07/2020: Coronavirus casts shadow over North Macedonia’s election https://www.politico.eu/article/coronavirus-casts-shadow-over-north-macedonia-election-zoran-zaev/

Euronews, 14/07/2020: North Macedonia prepares for first election since name change - and it's going to be close https://www.euronews.com/2020/07/14/north-macedonia-prepares-for-first-election-since-name-change-and-it-s-going-to-be-close

Deutsche Welle, 14/07/2020: North Macedonia holds first election since changing its name https://p.dw.com/p/3fIif

The Guardian, 15/07/2020: Race too close to call as North Macedonia holds first poll since name change https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/15/race-too-close-to-call-as-north-macedonia-holds-first-poll-since-name-change

RFE/RL, 15/07/2020: Virus-Hit North Macedonia Votes In Poll Seen As Crucial To EU Hopes https://www.rferl.org/a/north-macedonia-critical-election-for-european-future-zaev-mickoski/30727127.html

EurActiv, 15/07/2020: North Macedonia heads to election with pace of EU accession at stake https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/north-macedonia-heads-to-election-with-pace-of-eu-accession-at-stake/

The Guardian, 16/07/2020: North Macedonia's Social Democrats grab slim election victory https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/16/north-macedonia-social-democrats-election-victory

Deutsche Welle, 16/07/2020: North Macedonia readies for robust coalition talks after vote https://p.dw.com/p/3fNyp

Politico, 16/07/2020: Social Democrats win North Macedonia election https://www.politico.eu/article/social-democrats-win-north-macedonia-election-zoran-zaev/

EurActiv, 16/07/2020: North Macedonia’s pro-EU SDSM set to win parliamentary vote https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/north-macedonias-pro-eu-sdsm-set-to-win-parliamentary-vote/

RFE/RL, 17/07/2020: North Macedonia's Pro-EU Social Democrats Win Elections, Face Complex Coalition Talks https://www.rferl.org/a/north-macedonia-election-zaev-coalition/30732551.html

Kathimerini, 17/07/2020: North Macedonia: Complex coalition talks to follow election https://www.ekathimerini.com/254823/article/ekathimerini/news/north-macedonia-complex-coalition-talks-to-follow-election

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Commentary and Analysis

Wikipedia: 2020 North Macedonian parliamentary election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_North_Macedonian_parliamentary_election

IFES Election Guide: Election for North Macedonian Assembly http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/3314/

OSW: Analyses, 23/10/2019: North Macedonia decides to hold a snap parliamentary election https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2019-10-23/north-macedonia-decides-to-hold-a-snap-parliamentary-election

Politico, 12/11/2019: North Macedonia’s post-Macron melancholy https://www.politico.eu/article/north-macedonia-eu-accession-post-emmanuel-macron-melancholy/

Balkan Insight, 22/01/2020: North Macedonia: Snap Elections and EU Uncertainty https://balkaninsight.com/2020/01/22/north-macedonia-snap-elections-and-eu-uncertainty/

The Economist, 14/05/2020: No one knows how many people live in North Macedonia https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/05/14/no-one-knows-how-many-people-live-in-north-macedonia

Balkan Insight: Analysis, 13/07/2020: Tight Election Race Fails to Thrill North Macedonia’s Voters https://balkaninsight.com/2020/07/13/tight-election-race-fails-to-thrill-north-macedonias-voters/

LSE: EUROPP Blog, 15/07/2020: Four things to watch ahead of North Macedonia’s elections https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2020/07/15/four-things-to-watch-ahead-of-north-macedonias-elections/

Balkan Insight, 17/07/2020: North Macedonia’s Dirty Election Campaign Only Deepened Society’s Rifts https://balkaninsight.com/2020/07/17/north-macedonias-dirty-election-only-deepened-societys-rifts/

openDemocracy: Can Europe Make It?, 20/07/2020: Elections in North Macedonia: waiting for a kingmaker https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/can-europe-make-it/elections-north-macedonia-waiting-kingmaker/

Foreign Policy, 24/07/2020: North Macedonia’s Success Story May be About to End https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/07/24/north-macedonia-success-story-nato-eu-populism/

Europe Elects, 24/07/2020: North Macedonian Parliamentary Election: Kingmakers and Coalitions https://europeelects.eu/2020/07/24/north-macedonian-parliamentary-election-kingmakers-and-coalitions/

Balkan Insight, 06/08/2020: North Macedonia’s Ruling Party Won Twitter War in Election https://balkaninsight.com/2020/08/06/north-macedonias-ruling-party-won-twitter-war-in-election/

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