North Macedonia’s presidential race goes to second round

North Macedonia’s presidential election goes to a run-off on May 8 between incumbent Stevo Pendarovski and opposition candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova

After the first round of presidential elections in North Macedonia on Wednesday, incumbent President Stevo Pendarovski and the main opposition candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova will compete in the second round, according to unofficial results from the State Election Commission.

After the opening of 94.84% of the polls, Siljanovska-Davkova, backed by an alliance led by the main opposition Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for the National Unity of Macedonia (VMRO-DPMNE), received 40.19% of the votes. Pendarovski, supported by an alliance led by the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM), received 19.4% of the votes.

Among the other candidates in the race were current Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani with 13.43%, Arben Taravari with 9.44%, Maksim Dimitrievski with 8.83%, Biljana Vankovska Cvetkovska with 4.57% and Stevco Jakimovski with 0.91%.

Second round with general elections

Presidential run-off elections will be held on May 8, the same date as the country’s general elections.

In the first round, the turnout was 49.85% and 23,188 votes were invalid. Turnout must reach at least 40% for the second round to be valid, according to the constitution.

Source: AA