North Macedonia’s Local Election Run-off Highlighted Unequal Campaign Conditions
SKOPJE, 3 November 2025 – The second round of mayoral elections in North Macedonia provided voters with distinct political alternatives, and the campaign was competitive across most municipalities. However, not all candidates benefited from equal campaign conditions, according to international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
The observers noted the ongoing involvement of government officials in campaigning and persistent concerns about voter pressure and numerous allegations of vote buying.
Election Legislation Gaps and Concerns
While the election laws address certain aspects of the second-round process, several critical areas remain vague, unregulated, or lacking sufficient detail. Notably, the law does not provide a clear timeline or detailed technical rules necessary for voting preparations.
"The second round of the mayoral elections took place in an orderly manner and the campaign remained overall competitive, but not all candidates enjoyed equal conditions,” said Matteo Mecacci, Head of the ODIHR Election Observation Mission.
Summary
The local election run-off in North Macedonia was competitive, yet some candidates faced unequal conditions amid ongoing government official involvement and electoral process ambiguities.
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