North Macedonian Presidential Elections, April-May 2019

Author (Corporate)
Publication Date 2019
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Summary:

Reports and analyses related to the presidential election held in North Macedonia in April 2019.

Further Information:

Presidential elections were held in North Macedonia on 21 April 2019. A second round will be held on 5 May.

The President of North Macedonia is elected every five years using a modified two-round system. A candidate is required to win support from more then 50% of registered votes to win outright in the first round. The results of the second round are valid if at least 40 percent of registered voters vote.

In the first round, governing Social Democrats' (SDSM) candidate Stevo Pendarovski got 42,7% of the votes, while nationalist runner Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, member of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO), had 42,5% of the votes. Candidate Blerim Reta, backed by two small ethnic Albanian opposition parties, won 10, 4% of the votes.

In a run-off in May, Pendarovski won the elections with 51,7% of the vote, compared to 44,73% for his challenger Siljanovska-Davkova.

The election took place amid deep divisions over the change of the country's name under a deal with Greece.

Related Links
Official
International Foundation for Electoral Systems, 15/04/2019: Elections in North Macedonia: 2019 Presidential Election https://www.ifes.org/faqs/elections-north-macedonia-2019-presidential-election
OSCE: Presidential Election, 21 April 2019 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/north-macedonia/413765
Election Guide, 21/04/2019: Republic of North Macedonia http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/3141/
European Council, 06/05/2019: Letter of congratulations to Stevo Pendarovski on his election as President of North Macedonia https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/05/06/letter-of-congratulations-to-stevo-pendarovski-on-his-election-as-president-of-north-macedonia/
North Macedonia State Election Commission: Elections 2019 https://www.sec.mk/english/

News
Deutsche Welle, 21/04/2019: North Macedonia presidential vote heads for runoff https://p.dw.com/p/3HAKE
Euronews, 21/04/2019: North Macedonia pro-Western candidate wins first round of presidential poll https://www.euronews.com/2019/04/21/north-macedonia-pro-western-candidate-wins-first-round-of-presidential-poll
France24, 22/04/2019: North Macedonia presidential vote heads to runoff https://www.france24.com/en/20190422-north-macedonia-presidential-vote-heads-runoff
EurActiv, 23/04/2019: North Macedonia candidates tied in first round of presidential vote https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/north-macedonia-candidates-tied-in-first-round-of-presidential-vote/
The New York Times, 05/05/2019: Supporter of North Macedonia Name Change Wins Presidency https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/05/world/europe/north-macedonia-election.html
Aljazeera, 06/05/2019: Stevo Pendarovski wins North Macedonia's presidential election https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/stevo-pendarovski-wins-north-macedonia-presidential-election-190506000053076.html
The Guardian, 06/05/2019: 'Our ticket to Europe': North Macedonia elects pro-western president https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/06/north-macedonia-elects-pro-western-president
France24, 06/05/2019: Pro-western candidate wins North Macedonia election https://www.france24.com/en/20190506-pro-west-candidate-wins-north-macedonia-stevo-pendarovski-election
06/05/2019: Ruling party’s Pendarovski wins North Macedonia presidency https://www.politico.eu/article/ruling-partys-pendarovski-wins-north-macedonia-presidency/
EurActive, 06/05/2019: North Macedonia’s pro-Western candidate wins presidential vote https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/north-macedonias-pro-western-candidate-wins-presidential-vote/
EUObserver, 06/05/2019: North Macedonia elects pro-EU president https://euobserver.com/tickers/144807

Commentary and Analysis
Deutsche Welle, 06/05/2019: Opinion: North Macedonia cements its pro-Western course https://p.dw.com/p/3HyCs

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