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Stevo Pendarovsky (left), the incumbent president and presidential candidate supported by the ruling Social Democratic Party (SDSM), and Gordana Syrzhanovska Davkova (top center), the presidential candidate supported by the centre-right main opposition VMRO-DPMNE coalition. An election poster is visible in the photo. A busy street in Skopje, North Macedonia, Monday.
SKOPJE, North Macedonia >> Presidential elections will be held in North Macedonia on Wednesday. North Macedonia is a small country in the Balkans that has been orbiting the European Union for nearly two decades, but its efforts to join the 27-nation membership have been largely unremarkable.
With no candidate expected to surpass the 50% threshold needed for an outright victory, a second round of voting is almost certain to take place on May 8, coinciding with the parliamentary elections.
Seven candidates are running for mainly ceremonial positions, with the short campaign focused on EU membership, the rule of law, fighting corruption and poverty reduction.
The latest poll by the Center for Political Research and Communication shows opposition supporter Gordana Siljanovska Davkova leading incumbent President Stevo Pendarovsky by 3.6 points.
Pendarovsky, 61, is running for a second five-year term with the backing of the country's ruling Social Democratic Party.
Silyanovska Davkova, 70, is supported by the main centre-right opposition VMRO-DPMNE coalition.
The two sides disagree over how to respond to neighboring Bulgaria's insistence that Skopje be recognized as a Bulgarian minority in its constitution. EU member Bulgaria said it would otherwise block North Macedonia's application to join the bloc.
North Macedonia has been a candidate for EU membership since 2005, but accession negotiations only began in 2022 and the process is expected to take several years.
Other presidential candidates include law professor Biljana Vankovska, who is running from the leftist party Levica, and two foreign ministers, Bujar Osmani, from the ethnic Albanian minority, and Arben Tarabari, from the opposition Albanian party.
Unless someone wins outright on Wednesday, a second round of voting will be held between the two leading candidates and turnout must be at least 40% for a valid result.
There are 1.8 million registered voters out of North Macedonia's population of 2.3 million.
Voting will be open from 7am to 7pm local time (5pm to 5pm GMT). There are no exit polls and the first results are expected early Thursday.
About 320 international observers will monitor the election.
