2024 North Macedonian parliamentary election

Last updated

2024 North Macedonian parliamentary election
Flag of North Macedonia.svg
  2020 8 May 20242028 

All 120 seats in the Assembly
61 seats needed for a majority
Turnout55.44% (Increase2.svg 3.42pp)
PartyLeader%Seats+/–
Your Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski 43.3258+14
For a European Future Dimitar Kovačevski 15.3718−28
European Front Ali Ahmeti 13.6718+3
VLEN Coalition Bilall Kasami 10.6414+2
Levica Dimitar Apasiev 6.826+4
ZNAM Maksim Dimitrievski 5.596New
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Makedonski parlamentarni izbori (2024).png
Results by constituency
Prime Minister beforePrime Minister after
Talat Xhaferi
BDI
TBD

Parliamentary elections were held in North Macedonia on 8 May 2024. The slow pace of EU integration and corruption were the main issues of this election. [1]

Contents

The right-wing opposition coalition led by the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party decisively won the election receiving 44% of the vote and 58 seats which were three short of an outright majority. The incumbent center-left coalition led by the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia lost 28 seats and collapsed to 14% of the popular vote. [2] The second round of the 2024 presidential election was held on the same day which was also won by the VMRO-DPMNE candidate, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova. [3] [4]

Electoral system

North Macedonia's six constituencies Constituencies of North Macedonia.svg
North Macedonia's six constituencies

Of the 123 seats in the Assembly of the Republic (Sobranie), 120 are elected from six 20-seat constituencies in North Macedonia using closed list proportional representation, with seats allocated using the d'Hondt method. The remaining three seats are elected by Macedonians living abroad, [5] but are only filled if the number of votes exceeds that of the elected candidate with the fewest votes in North Macedonia in the previous election. If a list crosses this threshold, it wins one seat; to win two seats, a list needs to win twice the number of votes, and to win three seats the threshold is three times the number of votes. These seats were not filled in the 2016 elections due to insufficient turnout. [6]

For this election, more than 1,700 candidates were running for the Sobranie. [7]

Campaign

Among significant issues during the election was corruption. The opposition VMRO-DPMNE accused the ruling coalition of presiding over a "pandemic" of corruption in the country, while the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, a member of the coalition, supported the confiscation of illegally acquired property from corrupt officials. The ruling government supported revising the Constitution to include recognition of a Bulgarian minority in North Macedonia, a condition set by Bulgaria to allow the country's accession to the European Union. The VMRO-DPMNE called the acceptance of such conditions a "capitulation" to Bulgaria. It has also expressed interest in forming a coalition government with the VLEN coalition comprising ethnic Albanian parties [7] but has ruled out entering into one with the Democratic Union for Integration, which is part of the ruling coalition and which it had called "corrupt". [8] The VMRO-DPMNE also pledged to create tens of thousands of jobs amid the country's sluggish economic situation, mass emigration and rising inflation. [9]

Opinion polls

Local regression of the main political parties before the 2024 election. Opinion polling for the 2024 North Macedonian parliamentary election.svg
Local regression of the main political parties before the 2024 election.
Polling firmFieldwork dateSample
size
For a European
Future
VLENEuropean
Front
Your Macedonia Levica ZNAM OthersLead
SDSM LDP/DOM Besa LD A ASh [lower-alpha 1] BDI PDSh VMRO-DPMNE
2024 election8 May 202415.3610.7213.78

43.32

6.825.574.4327.87
2024 presidential election 24 Apr 202420.59.513.741.24.79.50.9 [lower-alpha 2] 20.7
CRPC20 Apr 2024125025.614.59.5387.25.00.211.2
МКД.мк 8–13 Apr 2024120022.89.912.741.26.56.10.818.4
CRPC 8–13 Apr 2024121026.812.711.337.56.45.310.7
МКД.мк 15–24 Mar 2024120016.011.51.613.040.87.98.20.724.8
CRPC 4–7 Mar 2024108524.613.611.639.45.55.314.8
IPIS 20 Feb 2024121221.88.64.111.538.66.05.02.418.8
IPDV 5–9 Nov 2023105023.04.43.31.68.29.735.65.98.212.6
IPIS 29 Oct 2023105521.84.41.93.53.910.836.26.85.62.117.4
IPIS 23–26 May 20231,11221.64.4512.438.212.35.70.816.6
IRI 8 Apr4 May 20231,204177281432117 [lower-alpha 3] 15
NDI 13–14 Apr 20231,00323.66.66.311.439.610.33.1216
IPIS Mar 20231,11427.18.54.927.1 [lower-alpha 4] 39.210.19.211.1
IDSCS 22 Feb9 Mar 20231,00224271838914
МКД.мк 6–16 Feb 20231,20022.30.24.16.714.739.28.13.416.9
IRI 19 Dec 20221,20016.37.07.813.333.312.38.817
МКД.мк 7–13 Nov 20221,20020.30.97.33.53.913.60.740.98.91.120.6
IPIS 4–6 May 20221,11130.12.81.97.113.439.45.49.3
IPIS 19–22 Oct 20211,10228.92.82.68.011.037.76.68.8
2021 Skopje election 17 Oct 202124.044.201.005.1711.9135.899.194.17 [lower-alpha 5] 11.9
Kantar TNS Brima 27 Aug9 Sep 20211,20130.87.49.511.41.727.67.43.2
Kantar TNS Brima 28 May16 Jun 20211,19433.06.810.311.02.828.57.54.5
Kantar TNS Brima 4–6 Apr 20211,22227.96.68.211.51.627.99.8Tie
IPIS 1–4 Mar 20211,10931.91.78.910.434.76.62.8
M-Prospect 16–24 Dec 20201,00031.74.10.97.811.42.430.810.60.3 [lower-alpha 6] 0.9
2020 parliamentary election 15 Jul 202035.898.9511.481.5334.574.103.491.3

Hypothetical polls

Nikola Gruevski forms a new party

Polling firmFieldwork dateSample
size
SDSM LDP/DOM Besa PDSh A ASh VMRO-DPMNE BDI Levica ZNAM Gruevski OthersLead
Stratum R&D 1–6 Oct 20231,11227.57.34.717.610.89.13.116.03.89.9

Results

The election resulted in a landslide victory for the national conservative VMRO-DPMNE and its Your Macedonia coalition, winning 58 seats in the Sobranie, just three shy of an outright majority. Their main rivals, the incumbent pro-European SDSM and its For a European Future coalition, ended up in distant third place, winning 18 seats, their worst ever result. All other parties and coalitions that won seats include: the European Front coalition with 19 seats and the VLEN Coalition with 13 seats (both representing national minorities), the left-wing nationalist The Left with six seats, as well as the left-wing populist For Our Macedonia Movement (ZNAM) with six seats. [10] Turnout was around 55%.[ citation needed ] The SDSM and its For a European Future coalition ended up in second place while the DUI with the European Front coalition moved down to third place with 18 seats and the VLEN Coalition with 14 seats after repolling in Ohrid, Struga and others areas on 22 May 2024. [11]

2024 Parliamentary elections in North Macedonia.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Your Macedonia [lower-alpha 7] 436,39344.5858+14
For a European Future [lower-alpha 8] 154,44415.7818–28
European Front [lower-alpha 9] 137,69014.0618+3
VLEN Coalition [lower-alpha 10] 106,94610.9214+2
The Left 68,6367.016+4
For Our Macedonia 56,2215.746New
Brave for Macedonia [lower-alpha 11] 4,5220.460–1
New Alternative  [ mk ]3,5160.3600
Abaja2,9090.300New
Your Party1,7940.1800
United Macedonia  [ mk ]1,6880.170New
Homeland Macedonia  [ mk ]1,0990.110New
Macedonian Era Third – Sovereignists9680.100New
Democrats Skopje  [ mk ]9130.0900
The Right5350.050New
Labour Party  [ mk ]4520.0500
European Civic Movement2410.020New
Total978,967100.001200
Valid votes978,96797.27
Invalid/blank votes27,4692.73
Total votes1,006,436100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,815,35055.44
Source: SEC

Aftermath

Social Democrat leader Dimitar Kovačevski conceded defeat and announced that he would resign as party leader once a successor had been elected. VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski said that “the people have taught the government its most important lesson and saved their country" and pledged to hold into account “every last person who committed a crime and committed corruption". [3]

According to international observers, the elections were "competitive and an extensive and pluralistic campaign helped voters to make an informed choice, but marred by negative rhetoric with nationalistic slogans, as well as shortcomings in the legislation and insufficient oversight of campaign finances". [12]

Reactions

Notes

  1. In early 2024 two factions emerged within ASh. A faction led by incumbent leader Arben Taravari intended to join VLEN and he later became the coalition's presidential candidate, while a faction led by former leader Ziadin Sela eventually joined the European Front coalition. Both wings of the party held conferences and elected their respective leader as party chairman. The Macedonian electoral commission lists ASh as a member of VLEN, while a court decision ruled that Sela is the official party leader. The decision is being appealed.
  2. Bravely for Macedonia
  3. DPTM 2%
  4. BDI and SDSM together
  5. Green Humane City
  6. Integra – Macedonian Conservative Party
  7. Consists of VMRO-DPMNE, SPM, DPSM, DS, PODEM, ROM, Party of Vlachs from Macedonia, VOICE for Macedonia, NLP, SDU, DPR, RZPRM, OPER, Dignity, TMRO, MAAK, United for Macedonia and Macedonian Concept
  8. Consists of: SDSM, LDP, NSDP, VMRO-NP, PDT, DOM, POPGM, SSM, DNET, SNSM, BNP, DSR, DSVM, SRM, Party of Democratic Action of Macedonia, Desnica, PDPR and POEN
  9. Consists of BDI, Alliance for Albanians (Sela's - led), PDSH, Democratic European Party, People's Movement, DPT, Movement of Turks for Justice and Democracy, Union of Roma in Macedonia and Bosniak Democratic Union
  10. Consists of Democratic Movement, Alternativa, Alliance for Albanians (Taravari's - led) the Besa Movement and others
  11. Consists of: Citizen Option for Macedonia, Party for the Full Emancipation of the Roma of Macedonia, Integra-Macedonian Conservative Party

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of North Macedonia</span> Political system of North Macedonia

Politics in North Macedonia occur within the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The Economist Intelligence Unit rated North Macedonia a "flawed democracy" in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VMRO-DPMNE</span> Macedonian political party

The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity, often simplified as VMRO-DPMNE, is a conservative political party in North Macedonia and is the main centre-right to right-wing party in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Union for Integration</span> Albanian minority political party in North Macedonia

The Democratic Union for Integration is the largest ethnic Albanian political party in North Macedonia and the third largest political party in the country. It was formed immediately after the country's 2001 armed conflict between the National Liberation Army and Macedonian security forces. NLA founder Ali Ahmeti has been the party's president ever since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberal Party of Macedonia</span> Conservative-liberal political party in North Macedonia

The Liberal Party of Macedonia is a conservative-liberal political party in North Macedonia. The party was a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party but is no longer a member. It is currently led by Ivon Velickovski.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Party of Turks</span> Turkish minority political party in North Macedonia

The Democratic Party of Turks of Macedonia is a political party of the Turkish minority in North Macedonia. In the 2002 parliamentary elections, the party joined the SDSM-led coalition and won 2 seats. In the 2006 parliamentary elections, it joined the SDSM-led coalition and won 2 parliamentary seats. The Party was a part of the VMRO-DPMNE coalition for 8 years from 2008 to 2016. The Party has one member, Yusuf Hasani, in the Macedonian parliament. The party did participate in a coalition with SDSM-Besa in the 2020 parliamentary elections. The party did participate in a coalition with European Front-Democratic Union for Integration in the 2024 parliamentary elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Socialist Party of Macedonia</span> Macedonian political party

The Socialist Party of Macedonia is a political party in North Macedonia founded on 22 September 1990 as a successor to the Socialist Alliance of Working People of Yugoslavia. The SPM proclaims itself to be a left-wing democratic socialist party. The SPM was part of the coalition governments from 1992 to 1998, led by the SDSM. The party's first leader was Kiro Popovski and was led by Ljubisav Ivanov-Dzingo after until his death in 2020. The party's current leader is Ljupco Dimovski.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VMRO – People's Party</span> Macedonian political party

VMRO – People's Party, fully the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – People's Party, is a national-conservative political party in North Macedonia, formed by the followers of the former Prime Minister Ljubčo Georgievski who split from the VMRO–DPMNE. The VMRO–NP was founded in Skopje on 4 July 2004. Vesna Janevska was elected as the party's first chairwoman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assembly of North Macedonia</span> Legislature of North Macedonia

The Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, or the Sobranie, is the unicameral legislature of North Macedonia. According to the Constitution, the Sobranie represents the people and is vested with legislative power. It can have between 120 and 140 MPs, elected by proportional representation from 6 electoral districts, each contributing 20 MPs, and there are also 3 reserved seats elected from the Macedonian diaspora which are awarded only if the voter turnout was sufficient. MPs are elected for a term of four years and cannot be recalled during their term. The Sobranie is presided over by a President. Its organization and functioning are regulated by the Constitution and Rules of Procedure. The Assembly's seat is in the Sobranie Palace in country's capital Skopje.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Macedonian parliamentary election</span>

Parliamentary elections were held in Macedonia on 5 July 2006. The VMRO-DPMNE-led coalition emerged as the largest group in the Assembly, winning 45 of the 120 seats. Its leader Nikola Gruevski became Prime Minister after forming a coalition government with the Democratic Party of Albanians, New Social Democratic Party, Democratic Renewal and the Party for a European Future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Macedonian parliamentary election</span>

Early parliamentary elections were held in Macedonia on 1 June 2008, after the Assembly voted to dissolve itself on 12 April 2008. The result was a victory for the VMRO-DPMNE-led alliance, which won 63 of the 120 seats in the Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United for Macedonia</span> Conservative political party in North Macedonia

United for Macedonia is a political party in North Macedonia. It was founded by Ljube Boškoski, a former interior minister and former member of the conservative VMRO-DPMNE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberal Democratic Party (North Macedonia)</span> Social-liberal political party in North Macedonia

The Liberal Democratic Party is a social-liberal political party in North Macedonia. The Liberal Democratic Party was launched in April 1997 as a merger between the Liberal Party and the Democratic Party. The first leader of the party was Petar Goshev from the Democrats, who was also the last president of the League of Communists of Macedonia. When the Liberal Party was re-established in 1999, a significant portion of the former Liberal Party remained in LDP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Macedonian parliamentary election</span>

Early parliamentary elections were held in the Republic of Macedonia on 5 June 2011, a year earlier than necessary. All 123 parliamentary seats of the Sobranie were due for election, including the 3 seats provided for the first time for representatives of the Macedonian citizens living abroad: 1 from Europe, 1 from North America, and 1 from Asia and Australia. The decision of the ruling parties, the Christian Democratic VMRO-DPMNE and the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), to dissolve the Parliament and call for an early election was preceded by protests of the Social Democratic Union (SDSM), the major opposition party, and subsequent boycott of the Parliament by them, and by other smaller opposition parties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Macedonian general election</span>

General elections[a] were held in the Republic of Macedonia in April 2014 to elect the President and members of parliament. The first round of the presidential elections were held on 13 April, with incumbent president Gjorge Ivanov finishing first with 53% of the vote. However, as he did not receive the support of 50% of all registered voters, a second round was held on 27 April, alongside parliamentary elections, with Ivanov and the ruling coalition led by VMRO-DPMNE claiming victory as Ivanov was elected president and the VMRO-DPMNE won 61 of the 123 seats in the Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Party for the Full Emancipation of the Roma of Macedonia</span> Ethnic Roma political party in North Macedonia

The Party for the Full Emancipation of the Roma of Macedonia is a political party in North Macedonia representing the Roma minority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Macedonian parliamentary election</span>

Early parliamentary elections were held in Macedonia on 11 December 2016, having originally been planned for 24 April and later 5 June.

Storming of the Macedonian Parliament, also known as Bloody Thursday occurred on 27 April 2017, when about 200 Macedonian nationalists stormed the Macedonian Parliament in reaction to the election of Talat Xhaferi, an ethnic Albanian, as Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia. It was the biggest attack in history on a Macedonian institution.

The Alliance for the Albanians is a centre-right political party founded in 2015 in North Macedonia by Ziadin Sela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 North Macedonian parliamentary election</span>

Early parliamentary elections were held in North Macedonia on 15 July 2020. It was originally scheduled for November 2020, but Prime Minister Zoran Zaev called early elections after the European Council failed to come to an agreement on starting talks with North Macedonia on joining the European Union in October 2019. The election date was set for 12 April, but was postponed until July due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North Macedonia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 North Macedonian presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in North Macedonia on 24 April 2024. Incumbent Stevo Pendarovski of the ruling centre-left Social Democrats ran for re-election to a second term.

References

  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Aleksandar Vasovic (8 May 2024). "North Macedonia opposition wins big on election night". Reuters.
  3. 1 2 "North Macedonia elects first woman president as center-left incumbents suffer historic losses". Associated Press. 9 May 2024. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  4. "Parliamentary elections in North Macedonia: The date when they will be held is revealed". CNA. 4 December 2023. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  5. Electoral system Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine IPU
  6. Early Parliamentary Elections 11 December 2016 Archived 23 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine OSCE
  7. 1 2 "North Macedonia holds presidential and parliamentary elections Wednesday". Associated Press. 8 May 2024. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  8. "North Macedonia: Frustrated voters set to punish government". DW. 8 May 2024. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  9. "N. Macedonia's nationalist opposition sweeps elections, setting rocky path for EU accession". France 24. 9 May 2024. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  10. "Претседателски и парламентарни избори 2024 – 08.05.2024". Државна Изборна Комисија (in Macedonian). 8 May 2024.
  11. "Parliamentary elections revoting - 22.05.2024". Државна Изборна Комисија (in Macedonian). 22 May 2024.
  12. "North Macedonia's elections were competitive and voters well informed, although the process remains insufficiently regulated: international observers". OSCE. 9 May 2024. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  13. "Viktor Orbán Welcomes a Conservative Win in North Macedonian Elections". Hungary Today. 9 May 2024. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  14. "Viktor Orbán Welcomes a Conservative Win in North Macedonian Elections". Hungary Today. 9 May 2024. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  15. Тимковска, Александра (9 May 2024). "Агелер со срдечни честитки до Силјановска-Давкова". Вечер, прв дознава. (in Macedonian). Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.