Right-wing opposition wins elections in North Macedonia

North Macedonia's conservative opposition party won a decisive victory in the country's dual parliamentary and presidential elections on May 8, according to preliminary results.

Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, a law professor supported by the conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, won the presidency by a wide margin, ousting incumbent Social Democrat Stevo Pendarovski.

Siljanovska-Davkova is the first woman to be elected president of North Macedonia.

A coalition led by VMRO-DPMNE also won the majority of the nation's 120 parliamentary seats, though the exact distribution of seats will be determined in talks following the elections. Social Democrat leader Dimitar Kovachevski conceded his party's defeat in the parliamentary election and announced he would step down from his position.

The right-wing campaign focused on economic issues and North Macedonia's slow progress towards EU membership.

North Macedonia, a NATO member, has been an EU candidate country since 2005. Disputes with neighboring countries and lack of momentum on required reforms have stalled the nation's advance.

The Balkan nation has previously provided military aid to Ukraine, including four Su-25 aircraft, T-72 tanks, small arms, munitions, and other support. North Macedonia has also conducted trainings of Ukrainian troops.

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The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov