North Macedonia heads to polls for 2nd round of local elections

By Dzihat Aliju and Serdar Dincel

SKOPJE, North Macedonia / ISTANBUL (AA) - Voters in North Macedonia are heading to the polls on Sunday for the second round of local elections.

The country’s voters are choosing mayors and city/town council members in 33 municipalities where no candidate in the first round got the required 50% of the vote.

Voting began at 7 am local time (0600GMT) for over one million registered voters and is set to continue until 7 pm (1800GMT).

The two candidates who got the most votes in round one are facing off today.

In the capital Skopje, voters will choose between Orce Gjorgjievski, the candidate of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE), and Amar Mecinovic, candidate of the Levica Party.

In the municipalities of Gostivar, Vrapciste, Mavrovo-Rostuse, and Centar Xupa, elections will be repeated at a later date as voter turnout in the first round fell below a required percentage.

Nearly 1,600 accredited observers will be present at the election.

- Mayors elected in 44 of 81 municipalities in 1st round

The first round was held on Oct. 19.

During that round, 32 mayors were elected from the ruling VMRO-DPMNE, five from the coalition partner VLEN alliance, four from the National Alliance for Integration (AKI), and three from the opposition Social Democratic Union (SDSM), resulting in the election of 44 mayors in a total of 81 municipalities.

This year marks the country’s eighth local election since 1996, following the last one in 2021.