Concern over nationalists’ rise in North Macedonia

The resounding victory of North Macedonia's conservative VMRO-DPMNE candidate Gordana Siljanovska (41.2% to 20.5%) over the country's outgoing president Stevo Pendarovski, who is supported by the Socialist Party, in the first round of the presidential election elections is a very clear reflection of a general upward nationalist trend in the neighboring country.

Indicatively, one of the arguments used by Siljanovska, as well as VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski, during the campaign is the termination of the 2018 Prespes Agreement with Greece, while refusing to refer to their country as "North Macedonia," insisting on "Macedonia."

The second round of elections will be held on May 8, coinciding with parliamentary elections. As always in the elections in North Macedonia, an influential role will be played by the Albanian parties and specifically the Democratic Union...