2017 Macedonian local elections

Local elections were held on October 14–15 and 28–29, 2017, in the Republic of Macedonia to elect mayors and members of municipality councils of the 80 municipalities in Macedonia. These were the sixth local elections since the independence of Macedonia.

2017 Macedonian local elections

← 2013 14-15 October 2017 (first round)
28-29 October 2017 (second round)
2021 [mk] →

80 municipalities and Skopje
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Zoran Zaev Ali Ahmeti Nikola Gruevski
Party SDSM BDI VMRO-DPMNE
Mayoralities won 57 10 5
Change Increase 53 Decrease 4 Decrease 51

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Ziadin Sela Bilal Kasami Menduh Thaçi
Party ASh Besa PDSh
Mayoralities won 3 1 1
Change Increase 3 Increase 1 Decrease 1

  Seventh party Eighth party
 
Leader Beycan Ilyas
Party DPTM Independent
Mayoralities won 1 3
Change Steady Increase 1

The mandates of the current mayors and municipality councils ran out on May 22, and unlike those of government ministers, they are not automatically prolonged until new ones are elected. The delay in this respect prevented institutions under municipal authority, such as schools, kindergartens, public enterprises, fire-fighting units, to execute their duties. The new parliamentary majority extended the mandate of the local councils and mayors until new election are held.

On June 3 the newly established government set October 15, 2017 as the date of the upcoming local elections. On August 6, Macedonian parliament speaker Talat Xhaferi announced that local elections would be held October 15, 2017.

The local elections were held as scheduled, on October 15, 2017. The election started in 7AM (local time) and the process was held in relatively peaceful mood, with several minor incidents throughout the country. The polling stations were closed 12 hours later. However, only 45 municipalities elected a mayor in the first round, and 35 had to vote again on October 29.

The second round of the local elections was held as scheduled, October 29, 2017. The election started in 7AM (local time) and the process was held in relatively peaceful mood, with several minor incidents throughout the country. The polling stations were closed 12 hours later.

In both of the first two rounds, voting was held a day early (October 14 and 28) for hospitalized and disadvantaged persons, and those in home detention or prison. A third round re-vote was held on November 12 in the municipality of Čair only.[1]

Results

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Municipality Candidate Party % Round won in
Aerodrom Zlatko Marin Social Democratic Union 52.03% First round
Aračinovo Milikije Halimi Social Democratic Union 57.81% First round
Berovo Zvonko Pekevski Social Democratic Union 60.96% First round
Bitola Nataša Petrovska Social Democratic Union 59.77% First round
Bogdanci Blaže Šapov Social Democratic Union 55.37% First round
Bogovinje Aljbon Džemaili Alliance for Albanians 53.70% Second round
Bosilovo Zoran Zimbakov Social Democratic Union 53.80% First round
Brvenica Enver Pajaziti Independent 55.38% Second round
Butel Velimir Smilevski Social Democratic Union 57.02% Second round
Valandovo Pero Kostadinov Social Democratic Union 55.31% First round
Vasilevo Marjan Janev Social Democratic Union 52.52% First round
Vevčani Sašo Jankoski Social Democratic Union 53.15% First round
Veles Ace Kocevski Social Democratic Union 53.51% First round
Vinica Ivica Dimitrov Social Democratic Union 52.23% Second round
Vrapčište Isen Shabani Alliance for Albanians 51.25% Second round
Gazi Baba Boris Georgievski Social Democratic Union 53.57% Second round
Gevgelija Sašo Pockov Social Democratic Union 54.55% First round
Gjorče Petrov Aleksandar Naumoski Social Democratic Union 53.75% First round
Gostivar Arben Taravari Alliance for Albanians 50.12% Second round
Gradsko Robert Bešovski Social Democratic Union 53.51% Second round
Debar Ruždi Ljata Democratic Union for Integration 52.04% Second round
Debarca Zoran Nogačeski Social Democratic Union 56.70% First round
Delčevo Goran Trajkovski Social Democratic Union 51.83% First round
Demir Kapija Lazar Petrov Social Democratic Union 56.12% Second round
Demir Hisar Marjanče Stojanovski Social Democratic Union 55.43% First round
Dojran Ango Angov Social Democratic Union 58.19% First round
Dolneni Džemil Kjamili Democratic Union for Integration 53.90% Second round
Želino Bljerim Sejdi Besa Movement 51.27% Second round
Zelenikovo Borče Gievski Social Democratic Union 59.22% First round
Zrnovci Blaže Stankov VMRO-DPMNE 57.11% Second round
Ilinden Žika Stojanovski VMRO-DPMNE 57.34% First round
Jegunovce Darko Blažeski Social Democratic Union 61.79% Second round
Kavadarci Mitko Jančev VMRO-DPMNE 52.65% Second round
Karbinci Jordan Nasev Social Democratic Union 56.94% Second round
Karpoš Stefan Bogoev Social Democratic Union 57.70% First round
Kisela Voda Filip Temelkovski Social Democratic Union 54.89% Second round
Kičevo Fatmir Dehari Democratic Union for Integration 60.36% First round
Konče Blagoj Iliev Social Democratic Union 55.23% First round
Kočani Nikolčo Ilijev Social Democratic Union 55.80% First round
Kratovo Ljupčo Bojadžiev Social Democratic Union 57.11% First round
Kriva Palanka Borjančo Micevski Social Democratic Union 57.97% First round
Krivogaštani Rubinčo Šefteroski Social Democratic Union 53.90% First round
Kruševo Tome Hristoski Social Democratic Union 60.63% First round
Kumanovo Maksim Dimitrievski Social Democratic Union 52.53% First round
Lipkovo Erkan Arifi Democratic Union for Integration 58.55% Second round
Lozovo Aco Velkovski Social Democratic Union 55.18% First round
Mavrovo and Rostuša Medat Kurtovski Social Democratic Union 55.85% First round
Makedonska Kamenica Sonja Stamenkova Social Democratic Union 54.24% Second round
Makedonski Brod Živko Siljanoski Social Democratic Union 66.46% Second round
Mogila Jasmina Gulevska Social Democratic Union 51.22% Second round
Negotino Toni Delkov Social Democratic Union 51.44% First round
Novaci Ljube Kuzmanoski Social Democratic Union 53.00% Second round
Novo Selo Boro Stojčev Social Democratic Union 52.13% First round
Ohrid Jovan Stojanoski Social Democratic Union 54.07% First round
Petrovec Borče Mitevski VMRO-DPMNE 62.05% First round
Pehčevo Dragan Trenčovski Social Democratic Union 52.65% First round
Plasnica Ismail Jahoski Democratic Union for Integration 59.12% First round
Prilep Ilija Jovanoski Social Democratic Union 51.07% First round
Probištip Dragan Anastasov Social Democratic Union 52.27% Second round
Radoviš Gerasim Konzulov Social Democratic Union 50.13% First round
Rankovce Ivica Toševski Independent 58.27% First round
Resen Živko Gošarevski Social Democratic Union 55.03% First round
Rosoman Branko Janev Social Democratic Union 54.23% Second round
Saraj Blerim Bedžeti Democratic Union for Integration 52.26% Second round
Sveti Nikole Sašo Velkovski Social Democratic Union 50.17% First round
Skopje Petre Šilegov Social Democratic Union 50.33% First round
Sopište Stefče Trpkovski VMRO-DPMNE 50.78% First round
Staro Nagoričane Žaklina Jovanovska Social Democratic Union 65.36% Second round
Struga Ramis Merko Democratic Union for Integration 49.53% Second round
Strumica Kosta Janevski Social Democratic Union 59.45% First round
Studeničani Azem Sadiki Democratic Party of Albanians 52.17% Second round
Tearce Isen Asani Democratic Union for Integration 51.64% Second round
Tetovo Teuta Arifi Democratic Union for Integration 49.09% Second round
Centar Saša Bogdanovikj Social Democratic Union 63.47% First round
Centar Župa Arijan Ibraim Democratic Party of Turks 70.48% First round
Čair Visar Ganiu Democratic Union for Integration 48.66% Second round
Čaška Goran Stojanovski Social Democratic Union 69.58% Second round
Češinovo-Obleševo Gorančo Krstev Social Democratic Union 49.91% Second round
Čučer-Sandevo Jovan Pejkovski Independent 51.40% First round
Štip Blagoj Bočvarski Social Democratic Union 51.54% Second round
Šuto Orizari Kurto Duduš Social Democratic Union 57.61% Second round

Incidents and reactions

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Alit Abazi, an independent candidate for the council of Kičevo Municipality, was killed in public with a hand gun, but the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a statement that the murder was not politically motivated.[2] The house of Vlado Misajlovski, a candidate for mayor in Gjorche Petrov, and the bakery of his father caught fire. Police statement said the bakery caught fire because of defective installation and the fire spread to the house.[3] Elvis Bajram, a candidate for mayor in Shuto Orizari, was attacked with a metal pipe after arguing with activists of the opposing candidate.[4] An NGO activist from Struga was beaten after speaking against Ziadin Sela, leader of the Alliance for the Albanians.[5] Voters were caught trying to photograph the ballot and were immediately arrested.[6][7] People were also arrested for inciting and participating in physical showdowns. Polling stations were briefly closed until the situations were sorted out.[8][9]

The leading opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE filed dozens of complaints all of which were rejected by the State Election Commission. The leader of the party, former prime-minister Nikola Gruevski, said that he does not recognize the election as free and democratic and asked for an early parliamentary election.[10] After losing in Struga, the city's former mayor Sela said that he does not recognize the result and called DUI to a showdown at an early parliamentary election.[11] The Besa Movement reported that irregularities were noted and complaints were filed.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "The Republic of Macedonia's 2017 Local Elections Handbook, Second Updated Edition, pp. 135-6". IDSCS.
  2. ^ Трагедија: Кандидатот од Кичево им подлегна на повредите
  3. ^ Пожар во фурната и семејната куќа на поранешниот министер Владо Мисајловски
  4. ^ Нападнат и повреден градоначалникот на Шуто Оризари, Елвис Бајрам
  5. ^ Активист од невладина организација претепан во Струга поради статуси на социјалните мрежи
  6. ^ Приведен гласач кој направил фотографија со гласачкото ливче
  7. ^ МВР: Тепачка во Шутка и три фотографирања на гласачко ливче
  8. ^ МВР: Тепачка во Шутка и три фотографирања на гласачко ливче
  9. ^ Тепачка на гласачко место во скопски Бутел
  10. ^ Груевски не ги признава изборните резултати, бара предвремени избори
  11. ^ Зијадин Села не ги признава изборните резултати
  12. ^ БЕСА: Регистрирани се низа неправилности, се подготвуваат соодветни жалби