The polls for the first round of the presidential elections were closed, which according to the National Electoral Commission of the neighboring country were held in a calm atmosphere and without irregularities. The turnout, half an hour before the polls closed, was just 40% and was the lowest of all the presidential elections held in the country.
In the previous presidential elections, held in 2014, the turnout in the first round had risen to 49%.
In today's first round of presidential elections, the candidates were Stevo Pendarovski, a candidate of the ruling coalition led by Zoran Zaef, Gordana Siljanovska of the opposition party VMRO-DPMNE and Alleri for Albanians "and" BESA ").
The first results are expected to be announced later in the evening. In order to be elected president from the first round, a candidate is required to receive more than 50% of the total votes, which is considered almost impossible. Thus, according to all indications, a second round will follow after two weeks, on May 5, in which the two candidates who will collect the most votes today will participate.
However, for the presidential election to be considered valid, the turnout in the second round must exceed 40%, which is not entirely certain, due to the relative indifference of the electorate to them, but also due to the fact that about a quarter of voters live and work permanently or temporarily abroad and very few of them vote in elections. In the first round, no specific participation rate is required.
In case the turnout in the second round does not exceed 40%, then the elections are canceled and new ones will be announced. Until then, Parliament Speaker Talat Jafari, who comes from Ali Ahmeti's Albanian DUI party, will be acting president. The electorate in the country amounts to 1,8 million voters.
The second five-year term of outgoing President Giorgi Ivanov, who comes from VMRO-DPMNE, ends on May 12th. The powers of the president of the country are limited and are related to certain issues of foreign policy and security.
- Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ.
