Clouds over North Macedonia’s EU ambitions, as nationalists sweep to power

North Macedonia's nationalist opposition achieved sweeping gains in parliamentary and presidential elections on Wednesday. Voters expressed their frustration over the country's sluggish advance bid to join the European Union, but also prevailing corruption and the slow pace of reforms.

The outcome is expected to further complicate the country's longtime ambition of joining the EU, as well as its relations with neighboring Bulgaria and Greece.

The socialist SDSM, which has ruled the country for the last seven years, was crushed and came third, losing the position of main opposition to the ethnic Albanian political party DUI.

"The results confirm the expectations from the polls, but the low number of votes for SDSM is striking," said Simonida Kacarska from the European Policy Institute in Skopje.

"This is partly due to the country's electroral system, but...