20/10/2025
TURNOUT BELOW 50%, SEC ANNOUNCES FIRST ELECTION RESULTS - CONVINCING VICTORY FOR VMRO-DPMNE
According to the preliminary results of the State Election Commission (SEC), based on 99.94% of the votes counted, VMRO-DPMNE leads in 53 municipalities and the City of Skopje, VLEN in 9, SDSM in 8, AKI in 5, and the Democratic Party of Turks, Union of Roma, ZNAM Movement, Mendi Qyra, and Azem Sadiki lead in one municipality each.
VMRO-DPMNE leads in: Aerodrom, Berovo, Bitola, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Butel, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Vevcani, Veles, Vinica, Gazi Baba, Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov, Gradsko, Debrca, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Zelenikovo, Zrnovci, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Kavadarci, Karbinci, Karpos, Kisela Voda, Kicevo, Konce, Kocani, Kratovo, Mavrovo i Rostuse, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Sveti Nikole, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Strumica, Cesinovo-Oblesevo, Stip, and Skopje.
VLEN leads in: Aracinovo, Bogovinje, Debar, Dolneni, Zelino, Saraj, Tearce, Tetovo, and Cair.
SDSM leads in: Bogdanci, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Lozovo, Rosoman, Centar, and Cucer-Sandevo.
AKI leads in: Vrapciste, Gostivar, Lipkovo, Plasnica, and Caska.
The Democratic Party of Turks leads in Centar Zupa, the Union of Roma in Suto Orizari, the ZNAM Movement in Kumanovo, Mendi Qyra in Struga and Azem Sadiki leads in Studenicani.
Already in the first round of the local elections on Sunday, mayors were elected in 44 municipalities, and according to the initial unofficial results, most of them are candidates of the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party, which, according to 99.94% of the votes at 3,472 out of a total of 3,474 polling stations, will have mayors elected in the first round in 32 municipalities.
According to the preliminary results of the SEC, mayors were elected in the first round in Berovo, Bitola, Bosilovo, Butel, Vasilevo, Vevcani, Veles, Gazi Baba, Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov, Gradsko, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Zelenikovo, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Kavadarci, Karbinci, Kisela Voda, Kratovo, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Petrovec, Pehcevo, Prilep, Radovis, Resen, Sveti Nikole, Sopiste, Strumica, Stip, Aracinovo, Zelino, Saraj, Tearce, Cair, Bogdanci, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Gostivar, Lipkovo, Plasnica, and Caska.
The VMRO-DPMNE and coalition candidates in the first round have mayors in the municipalities of: Berovo, Bitola, Bosilovo, Butel, Vasilevo, Vevcani, Veles, Gazi Baba, Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov, Gradsko, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Zelenikovo, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Kavadarci, Karbinci, Kisela Voda, Kratovo, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Petrovec, Pehcevo, Prilep, Radovis, Resen, Sveti Nikole, Sopiste, Strumica and Stip, while in Staro Nagoricane the VMRO-DPMNE candidate received 50% of the votes.
In the first round, SDSM won mayoral posts in the municipalities of Bogdanci, Kriva Palanka and Krivogaсtani.
The VLEN coalition won in the mayoral race in the first round in Aracinovo, Zelino, Saraj, Cair and Tearce.
The AKI coalition, led by BDI, according to SEC data, won mayoral elections in Gostivar, Lipkovo, Plasnica and the municipality of Caska in the first round.
According to SEC, the elections failed in three municipalities – Centar Zupa, Vrapciste and Mavrovo-Rostuse, because at least one-third of registered voters did not turn out.
The municipalities where voting will take place in the second round are Aerodrom, Brvenica, Valandovo, Vinica, Debarca, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Zrnovci, Karpos, Kicevo, Konce, Kocani, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mogila, Negotino, Probistip, Rankovce, Cesinovo-Oblesevo, Bogovinje, Debar, Dolneni, Tetovo, Krusevo, Lozovo, Rosoman, Centar, Cucer-Sandevo, Struga, Suto Orizari, Kumanovo, Studenicani, and the City of Skopje.
In the City of Skopje, the VMRO-DPMNE candidate Orce Gjorgjievski and the Levica candidate Amar Mecinovic will enter the second round.
According to SEC preliminary results, VMRO-DPMNE's candidate for mayor, Orce Gjorgjievski, has won 91,582 (39.43%) of the votes, followed by Amar Mecinovic (Levica) 30,659 (13.20%), Bashkim Bakiu (VLEN) 27,864 (12%), Kaja Sukova (SDSM) 26,714 (11.50%), Skender Rexhepi (AKI) 26,062 (11.22%), and others have won 17,131 (12.65%).
According to the preliminary results of the State Election Commission (SEC), based on 99.90% of the votes counted, in terms of councilor lists, VMRO-DPMNE leads in 58 municipalities and the City of Skopje, AKI in 9, VLEN in 6, SDSM in 4, and the Democratic Party of Turks, the Union of Roma, and the ZNAM Movement lead in one municipality each.
The President of the SEC, Boris Kondarko, informed that the turnout in these elections was 48.46 percent, which is somewhat lower than in previous election cycles.
Kondarko emphasized that the Election Day passed peacefully, with several minor irregularities that did not affect the election process.