First round of North Macedonia’s presidential polls shows big shift towards center-right opposition

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — Near-complete results from North Macedonia’s first round of presidential polls confirm a strong shift towards a candidate backed by the country’s center-right opposition. With 99.85% of Wednesday’s ballots counted, Gordana Siljanovska Davkova has 40.08%. That’s twice what incumbent President Stevo Pendarovski has with 19.93%. The State Electoral Commission is providing the results. Siljanovska Davkova and Pendarovski, who is backed by the governing social democrats, will face off in a second round on May 8, when the country will also hold parliamentary elections. The presidential election is largely seen as a barometer for the parliamentary vote. Hopes are high in North Macedonia that the next president will oversee the country’s long-anticipated entry into the European Union.