In a decisive political showdown, North Macedonia held local election runoffs on Sunday, reinforcing the ruling conservative party’s overwhelming triumph from the first round. The VMRO-DPMNE party secured 33 out of 44 mayoral seats in the initial round on October 19, along with a majority of city council positions, leaving the opposition Social Democrats trailing significantly. This outcome has quashed any hopes of an early general election for the opposition. The runoffs, taking place in 37 of the country’s 81 municipalities, including the capital Skopje, saw conservative candidates leading in nearly all contests. While candidates had campaigned on promises addressing the economy, jobs, and education, the spotlight shifted to Skopje’s pressing garbage collection crisis. For weeks, trash had piled up due to operational and financial issues at the waste management company, leading to infestations of rats, flies, and stray animals. A recent incident involved a child being bitten by a rat, necessitating medical treatment. However, on election day, Skopje’s streets were unexpectedly clean, surprising residents. Over 1 million voters were eligible to participate in the runoffs, with the first round witnessing a turnout of 46.48%.
North Macedonia votes in second round of local election with ruling conservatives leading
