(MENAFN) Preliminary results from North Macedonia’s local elections on Sunday show the country’s governing coalition leading in the majority of municipalities. With approximately 70% of votes tallied, the bloc led by the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE) is ahead in 54 out of 81 municipalities.

Meanwhile, the opposition Social Democratic Union (SDSM) alliance is currently leading in nine municipalities, and the VLEN alliance, a partner of VMRO-DPMNE, is in front in eight areas. The National Alliance for Integration (AKI) is winning in five municipalities, while the Turkish Democratic Party (TDP) has claimed one seat; however, the result in Centar Zupa was canceled after voter turnout fell below one-third of registered voters.

In the capital city of Skopje, more than half of the ballots have been counted, with VMRO-DPMNE securing a leading 41.23% of the vote. In the Cair municipality, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Izet Mexhiti declared victory over former Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani.

Voter participation nationwide reached 46.65%. Municipalities where no candidate surpassed the 50% threshold will conduct a runoff election on November 2.

Local elections in North Macedonia are scheduled every four years, marking this as the eighth cycle since 1996. This year, 10,490 candidates competed, including 309 vying for mayoral positions. Election monitoring included 1,451 accredited observers, comprising 644 international and 807 local representatives, among them two from Türkiye’s Supreme Election Council.

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