North Macedonia elections and politics (presidential & legislative elections May 8 2024)

[Storr]

"Journalists fear North Macedonia’s new media law"

"Journalists are accusing North Macedonia’s ruling party and opposition of banding together to restrict press freedom, ahead of an election in the Balkan country.

The country’s parliament in February approved changes to the law with the support of 78 out of 120 lawmakers, lifting the ban on government and municipal advertising on the TV and radio, which President Stevo Pendarovski signed into law in March.

The same Social Democrat government had originally abolished state advertising in 2017.

Macedonians are heading to the polls for the first round of presidential elections on Wednesday, followed by a second round on May 8."

[MRCVzla]

First round of the President election was held today, if the turnout did not reach more than 50% (and it happened), a second round will be held in two weeks on May 8th among the Parliamentary election, diaspora can only vote at Presidential election, because they have not reach certain threshold to hold Parliamentary elections there (less than 3,000 voters are registered, they needed more than 5,000 to at least elect 3 more seats among the 120 seats divided in six 20-seat multi-member consituencies)

Preliminary results with more than 53% of the precincts counted:
Gordana Siljanovska Davkova (VMRO-DPMNE and allies) 37.1%
Stevo Pendarovski (SDSM and allies, incumbent) 18.3%
Bujar Osmani (DUI/European Front alliance) 16.3%
Arben Taravari (AA/VLEN alliance) 12.1%
Maksim Dimitrievski (ZNAM) 7.9%
Biljana Vankovska Cvetkovska (Levica) 4.4%
Stevcho Jakimovski (GROM and allies) 1.0%

Election results: https://rezultati.sec.mk/en/pres/r

[Storr]

68.99% of precincts counted:

Siljanovska Davkova: 38.88%
Pendarovski: 19.04%
Osmani: 14.76%
Taravari: 10.67%
Dimitrievski: 8.35%
Vankovska Cvetkovska: 4.52%
Jakimovski: 0.89%

[Storr]

83.12% of precincts counted:

Siljanovska Davkova: 40.05%
Pendarovski: 19.55%
Osmani: 14.17%
Taravari: 10.01%
Dimitrievski: 8.47%
Vankovska Cvetkovska: 4.28%
Jakimovski: 0.71%

[Storr]

99.03% of precincts counted:

Siljanovska Davkova: 40.09%
Pendarovski: 19.93%
Osmani: 13.36%
Dimitrievski: 9.26%
Taravari: 9.21%
Vankovska Cvetkovska: 4.55%
Jakimovski: 0.90%

[Duke of York]

Is it fair to say Siljanovska Davkova is favored in the runoff?

[Storr]

Is it fair to say Siljanovska Davkova is favored in the runoff?

Yes. A March second round poll had Siljanovska Davkova: 55.8% Pendarovski: 44.2%

Meanwhile: "The Democratic Union for Integration, which represents ethnic Albanians and is led by former Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani, offered its support in the second round to any candidate who supports having the President selected by the Assembly of North Macedonia in future elections, in the hopes of having an ethnic Albanian attaining the office. However, both Pendarovski and Siljanovska-Davkova have dismissed the proposal, saying it is democratic for the Presidency to be selected through direct voting."