North Macedonia’s presidential election scheduled for Wednesday focused on corruption, the country’s security and role in NATO, and integration with the European Union, among other issues.
This year’s campaign was “boring, aggressive, obscene, and traditionally false, with the same messianic roles and promises to save North Macedonia that we’ve been hearing for decades,” the Macedonian editorial board of the DW station assessed.
The rhetoric of the two main candidates—incumbent President Stevo Pendarovski from the ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) and Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova of the main opposition party VMRO-DPMNE—intensified in the final days of the campaign, so much so that Pendarovski filed a complaint with the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination. As he argued, his counter-candidate insulted him with the use of hate speech.
Pendarovsky based his campaign on five pillars. He stressed his desire to defend civil rights and freedoms, promote marginalized communities, protect democracy, fight corruption and crime, and advance EU integration.
The rhetoric of the two main candidates—incumbent President Stevo Pendarovski from the ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) and Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova of the main opposition party VMRO-DPMNE—intensified in the final days of the campaign, so much so that Pendarovski filed a complaint with the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination. As he argued, his counter-candidate insulted him with the use of hate speech.
Pendarovsky based his campaign on five pillars. He stressed his desire to defend civil rights and freedoms, promote marginalized communities, protect democracy, fight corruption and crime, and advance EU integration.
During his campaign under the “Stevo my president” slogan, the SDSM candidate pointed out that a vote for him means bringing the country closer to the EU and avoiding a return of North Macedonia to the “Balkan grayness” that, in his view, persisted in the country under his predecessor Gjorge Ivanov of the VMRO-DPMNE. Pendarovskiy garnered around 29% support in pre-election polls.
Main opposition candidate
The current president’s main rival, Siljanovska-Davkova, campaigned under the slogan “Let’s make Macedonia proud again.” In it, she focused most on the rule of law, foreign policy, culture, and foreign relations with the country’s neighbors. She also called for strengthening the role of the president in the Macedonian political system.
She also announced the future creation of a special team to ensure the transparency of accession negotiations with the EU. In the integration process itself, Siljanovska-Davkova wants to push Macedonian identity protection.
Siljanovska-Davkova advocated developing cooperation with NATO, which North Macedonia joined in 2020, and strengthening the role of women in the military. She garnered about 35% support in polls before the election.
Other candidates
None of the remaining candidates had been forecasted by pre-election polls to advance to the second round of voting. These are:
Arben Taravari of the Alliance for the Albanians staked his campaign on European integration, security, and the rule of law.
Incumbent Foreign Minister Bujar M. Osmani of the largest party of Macedonian Albanians, the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), spoke, among other things, of changing the way the president is elected so that parliament decides.
Maksim Dimitrievski of the ZNAM party proclaimed his desire to join the EU only if integration would not harm the national interests of North Macedonia.
Biljana Vankovska Cvetkovska backed by the Left, promised the country’s exit from NATO, a declaration of military neutrality, and a rethinking of Skopje’s approach to EU integration.
North Macedonia is still unable to formally begin negotiations due to Bulgaria’s conditions on changes to the Macedonian constitution affecting the Bulgarian minority in the country.
Main opposition candidate
The current president’s main rival, Siljanovska-Davkova, campaigned under the slogan “Let’s make Macedonia proud again.” In it, she focused most on the rule of law, foreign policy, culture, and foreign relations with the country’s neighbors. She also called for strengthening the role of the president in the Macedonian political system.
She also announced the future creation of a special team to ensure the transparency of accession negotiations with the EU. In the integration process itself, Siljanovska-Davkova wants to push Macedonian identity protection.
Siljanovska-Davkova advocated developing cooperation with NATO, which North Macedonia joined in 2020, and strengthening the role of women in the military. She garnered about 35% support in polls before the election.
Other candidates
None of the remaining candidates had been forecasted by pre-election polls to advance to the second round of voting. These are:
Arben Taravari of the Alliance for the Albanians staked his campaign on European integration, security, and the rule of law.
Incumbent Foreign Minister Bujar M. Osmani of the largest party of Macedonian Albanians, the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), spoke, among other things, of changing the way the president is elected so that parliament decides.
Maksim Dimitrievski of the ZNAM party proclaimed his desire to join the EU only if integration would not harm the national interests of North Macedonia.
Biljana Vankovska Cvetkovska backed by the Left, promised the country’s exit from NATO, a declaration of military neutrality, and a rethinking of Skopje’s approach to EU integration.
North Macedonia is still unable to formally begin negotiations due to Bulgaria’s conditions on changes to the Macedonian constitution affecting the Bulgarian minority in the country.
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