Nationalists win elections in North Macedonia in a blow to EU deal

North Macedonia’s main nationalist party has won general elections in the Balkan state, paving the way for a coalition government that risks derailing already difficult European Union accession talks, France 24 reports.

Fireworks erupted in the capital Skopje as the stunning victory was announced. Dimitar Kovacevski, the former prime minister and leader of the ruling SDSM, said:

“I congratulate our political opponent VMRO-DPMNE with this victory in the elections.”

The announcement was made even before the head of the VMRO-DPMNE party and likely future prime minister, Hristijan Mickoski, had time to deliver his victory speech. Mickoski told supporters after the SDSM conceded:

“We succeeded. Macedonia won. It’s a historic win for the people.” 

The State Election Commission then reported that the VMRO-DPMNE had won at least 59 seats in the 120-seat parliament, with some 92 per cent of the votes counted.  SDSM won only 19 seats, with the remaining seats distributed among many smaller parties.

The rise to power of the nationalist party could seriously affect the Balkan country’s dream of joining the European Union. Mickoski has refused to recognise the country’s new name and a historic agreement with Greece in 2018 that added “North” to its name to resolve a long-running dispute and allow the country to join NATO.

The opposition leader also vowed to stand firm in a dispute with Bulgaria over language and historical issues, over which Sofia has been blocking North Macedonia’s EU accession talks for the past two years.

Bulgaria has demanded that Skopje change the constitution to recognise the Bulgarian minority.

In a separate vote, the VMRO-DPMNE candidate, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, also won the second round of the presidential election over incumbent Stevo Pendarovski, the country’s former representative to NATO. Siljanovska-Davkova, who will become the country’s first female president, won 65 per cent of the vote, while Pendarovski had 29 per cent in a largely ceremonial position. She told media at the VMRO-DPMNE party’s headquarters:

“My biggest congratulations go to the citizens.” 

Ahead of Wednesday’s election, the VMRO-DPMNE candidates were brimming with confidence as they won a convincing victory in the first round of the presidential election last month. Mickoski told supporters:

“Victory is within reach and it is a consequence of all the suffering and humiliation this government brought.”