New Government in North Macedonia Promises Change, But Frustrations Remain High with European Integration and Neighborly Disputes

In recent years, North Macedonia has made significant strides towards European integration, but frustration remains high in the country due to stalled progress. The poor administration of the Social Democratic government also played a role in the election results.

Following the recent parliamentary elections, the national conservative VMRO-DPMNE party emerged victorious, winning a landslide victory and falling just short of an absolute majority in the 120-member parliament. Hristijan Mickoski was appointed as the new head of government, while the Social Democrats now hold only 18 seats in parliament.

In addition to frustrations with EU accession negotiations and ongoing disputes with Greece and Bulgaria, North Macedonians are also dissatisfied with a lack of transparency in negotiations with Bulgaria and distrust among the population. The election results reflect these frustrations and dissatisfaction with poor governance and lack of progress in the country.

The victory of the VMRO party signals a shift in government and potentially a new approach to addressing ongoing challenges facing North Macedonia. However, it remains to be seen whether this change will lead to meaningful progress towards EU accession and improving relations with neighboring countries.