Possible final vote in North Macedonia presidential election

cde.news desk 5 May 2019, 12:02 · 1 min read

epaselect epa07544472 People walk by the flag of North Macedonia in Skopje, North Macedonia, 03 May2019.More than 1.8 million voters need to choose between two candidates for a President of North Macedonia in the second round of election which is scheduled for 05 May 2019. EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI

Polls have opened in North Macedonia for a presidential election runoff between two top vote-getters from the first round.

More than 3,400 polling stations opened Sunday for the final vote.

Second round of North Macedonia presidential elections — A woman holds her ballot paper during the second round of the presidential elections at a polling station in Skopje, North Macedonia, 05 May 2019. Photo: EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI

The two candidates, Stevo Pendarovski of the ruling Social Democrats, and Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, backed by the conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, finished in a near dead heat, with about 42% of the votes each, in the first round on April 21.

A key question is whether turnout will reach the 40% needed for the election to be valid. The first round barely made it past, with a turnout of 41.8%.

If declared invalid, the two-round contest for the largely ceremonial post will be repeated.

Via NYT

Filed under Elections North Macedonia

Topics North Macedonia Siljanovska Davkova Stevo Pendarovski