Page 16 - SE Outlook Regions 2024

1.6 Politics - North Macedonia
As North Macedonia enters 2024, the country is gearing up for both general and presidential elections scheduled for May.
The elections are regular but follow the unmet commitment made in July 2022 to implement significant constitutional changes, a prerequisite for advancing negotiations with the European Union.
The initiation of EU negotiations in July 2022 marked the beginning of a screening process, with the opening of negotiation chapters contingent on amending the constitution to incorporate the interests of ethnic Bulgarians. Despite opposition from the conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, the ruling coalition of the Social Democrats and ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) is seeking parliamentary support for these constitutional amendments. VMRO-DPMNE's leader, Hristijan Mickoski, rejected the changes saying that they are dictated by Bulgaria.
In a recent development in mid-December 2023, the EU Council urged North Macedonia to swiftly adopt constitutional amendments crucial for the upcoming second intergovernmental conference.
While recognising the country's preparedness in various areas, the Council stressed the need to expedite reforms aligned with EU standards, especially in the realms of judiciary independence, professionalism, rule of law, anti-corruption efforts and public administration reform.
Returning to the domestic front, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, a Social Democrat, announced on December 4 that all political parties have reached consensus on holding general elections in May 2024.
The presidential elections will have their first round on April 24, followed by the second round and parliamentary elections on May 8.
The incumbent president, Stevo Pendarovski, has not made a definitive decision regarding his candidacy for a new term.
As per legal procedures, an interim government is set to be established from January 28, with current assembly speaker Talat Xhaferi, nominated by the DUI, expected to lead during the 100-day interim period, as part of the coalition agreement.
In the upcoming elections, the primary contenders are the ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia and the opposition VMRO-DPMNE, along with their coalition partners. The Left party will also play a role, and within the ethnic Albanian bloc, the DUI is anticipated to maintain its leadership amid a fragmented political landscape. While VMRO-DPMNE leads in polls, the formation of a stable government
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