The elections in North Macedonia were conducted mostly peacefully and without issues. I am glad that there were no incidents and that citizens had the opportunity to express their will.
The low turnout of voters in North Macedonia, especially in the Albanian camp, compared to the last parliamentary elections, reflects the disappointment of citizens with the recent political moves of the Albanian parties.
As never before, elections in North Macedonia in the Albanian camp mostly concluded in the first round. However, in some municipalities, a second round is expected. The race remains open in important municipalities such as Tetovo, Struga, Debar, Kërçova, Bërvenica, Dollneni, and Studenichani.
Crime and local corruption remain a challenge. One of the main topics of these elections was crime and corruption at the local level. Most candidates promised solutions, but citizens appear pessimistic about these promises, which is also reflected in the low voter turnout.
Illegal constructions have also been a hot topic in metropolitan municipalities, especially in Çair, Tetovo, Gostivar, and Struga. Municipal candidates made promises to address the issue, which reflects that citizens’ main concern is illegal construction.
Nationalist rhetoric, mainly used by the opposition, did not influence voters. The opposition’s goal of motivating the population for a massive turnout through nationalist campaigns seems not to have succeeded, as evidenced by the opposition’s strongholds, where turnout was low compared to the strongholds of the parties in power, which preferred to focus on economic development, employment, infrastructure, and other local issues.
The results reflect the voice of the citizens, and now it remains for each party to reflect on the election outcome and for us to work together toward a better future.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Flamur Ismaili