Social Democratic Union of Macedonia

North Macedonia's Socialist SDSM party elected Venko Filipce as its new leader on Sunday.

Some 9,052 party members voted for Filipce, who will become the new opposition leader. He currently sits as an MP.

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.

North Macedonia elected its first woman president Wednesday as the governing Social Democrats suffered historic losses in twin presidential and parliamentary elections.

The presidential election landscape in North Macedonia is poised for a runoff between Gordana Siljanovska, representing VMRO-DPMNE, and Stevo Pendarovski, backed by SDSM, following the release of partial results by the State Electoral Commission. With 98.18 percent of the protocols processed, Siljanovska leads with 40.20 percent of the vote, compared to Pendarovski's 20 percent.

North Macedonian presidential candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova held a big lead over incumbent Stevo Pendarovski with votes counted from 99.03% of polling stations on Thursday, but both were short of the 50% backing needed to win outright.

The leader of the main opposition party in North Macedonia has said that if elected prime minister, he would refer to the country solely as "Macedonia," regardless of the 2018 Prespes Agreement that settled the dispute with Greece over the country's name.

The Central Council of the ruling Social Democratic Union /SDSM/ in the Republic of North Macedonia unanimously supported the French proposal to start negotiations for the country's EU membership.

Today, the opponents of the French proposal to start EU membership negotiations for the Republic of Macedonia will organize blockades in several key places in the country, reported a BGNES.

Today, the opponents of the French proposal to start EU membership negotiations for the Republic of Macedonia will organize blockades in several key places in the country, reported a BGNES.

Montenegrin Prime Minister-Designate Dritan Abazovic in Podgorica. Photo: Government of Montenegro

Nikolic said that a new minority government must be formed by next week, and the negotiations were taking too long.

No Honeymoon

North Macedonia's new PM, Dimitar Kovacevski [C] surrounded by his government ministers. Photo: EPA/EFE-GEORGI LICOVSKI

Dimitar Kovacevski has not even celebrated a month in office as Prime Minister, yet he is already faced with a fight to stave off an attempt by the opposition VMRO-DPMNE to force an early election.