SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) - The Latest on the presidential election in North Macedonia (all times local):

Returns from North Macedonia's presidential election are giving an indication of which of the three candidates will compete in a runoff early next month.

The May 5 runoff is inevitable because the small European country's election law requires a candidate to get 50% plus one of registered voters, not just voters who cast ballots for president, to be elected in the first round. The state electoral commission reported the turnout Sunday was 39.26%.

With about half of polling stations reporting, Stevo Pendarovski and Gordana Siljanovska Davkova were in a close contest for the most support. Pendarovski, the joint candidate of the ruling Social Democrats and 30 other parties, held a slight lead, with 42.4% of the partial vote to Siljanovska's 41.1%.

The main conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party backed Siljanovska, the first woman to run for president in the country. .

Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, a presidential candidate for the opposition conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, talks to the media outside a polling station, after voting in the presidential elections, in Skopje, North Macedonia, Sunday, April 21, 2019. North Macedonia holds the first round of presidential elections on Sunday, seen as key test of the government following deep polarization after the country changed its name to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece over the use of the term "Macedonia". (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

Blerim Reka, a candidate supported by two small ethnic Albanian political parties, had 12.3% of the early returns.

Polls opened early Sunday in North Macedonia for a presidential election seen as a key test for the government following the country's changing its name to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece over the use of the term "Macedonia".

More than 3,400 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and will close at 7 p.m. (1700GMT).

Three university professors are vying for the largely ceremonial presidency post.

Gordana Siljanovska Davkova is backed by the main conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, Stevo Pendarovski is a joint candidate of the ruling Social Democrats and 30 smaller parties, while Blerim Reka is supported by two small ethnic Albanian parties.

A candidate needs 50% plus one vote of the 1.8 million registered voters to win outright in the first round.

A couple cast their ballots for the presidential election at a polling station in Skopje, North Macedonia, Sunday, April 21, 2019. Polls were opened early on Sunday in North Macedonia for presidential elections seen as key test of the government following deep polarization after the country changed its name to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece over the use of the term "Macedonia". (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

Stevo Pendarovski, presidential candidate of the ruling coalition led by the Social Democrats, talks to the media outside a polling station after voting in the presidential election in Skopje, North Macedonia, Sunday, April 21, 2019. North Macedonia holds the first round of presidential elections on Sunday, seen as key test of the government following deep polarization after the country changed its name to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece over the use of the term "Macedonia". (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) </s> North Macedonians on Sunday headed to polls for the second round of voting to elect the country’s next president for the next five years.

A total of 1.8 million eligible voters have started to cast ballots in the election as of 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and it will end by 7 p.m. (1700 GMT). According to the results of the first round held on April 21, the governing Social Democrats' (SDSM) candidate Stevo Pendarovski won 42.8% of the votes and opposition candidate Gordana Siljanovska Davkova won 42.2% vie for the post in the runoff.

Pendarovski is supported by the government and has the backing of 31 political parties, including the Union of Social Democrats of Macedonia (SDSM), the Democratic Union for Integration (BDI), AlternAtivA, the Turkish Movement Party (THP), and the Turkish Democratic Party (TDP).

Davkova, the only woman candidate, is seeking the presidency with the support of the main opposition union. She favors cancelling the country’s name change deal. Sunday's election is the sixth presidential election in the country's modern history, but the first since it made a momentous name change. Under the law, voter turnout in the runoff must be at least 40% for it to produce a winner.

Last June, the country agreed to change its name in line with a deal under which Greece dropped its objection to North Macedonia joining NATO and the EU.

Since Macedonia declared independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, the nation has had four presidents. Under the Constitution, a president can be elected for a maximum of two times. </s> A presidential election in North Macedonia that gave voters another chance to express an opinion on their country's new name will go to a runoff after turnout in the first round of voting Sunday was too low for a candidate to win outright, election officials said.

The May 5 runoff is inevitable because the small European country's election law requires a candidate to get 50% plus one of registered voters, not just voters who cast ballots for president, to be elected in the first round. The state electoral commission reported the turnout Sunday was 41.9%.

With about 97 per cent of polling stations reporting results, Stevo Pendarovski and Gordana Siljanovska Davkova were in a close contest for the most support, the state electoral commission announced shortly before midnight (2300 GMT). Pendarovski, the joint candidate of the ruling Social Democrats and 30 other parties, held a slight lead from the unfinished tally, receiving 42.68% of the partial vote to Siljanovska's 42.55%.

The main conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party backed Siljanovska, the first woman to run for president in the country.

Blerim Reka, a candidate supported by two small ethnic Albanian political parties, had 10.4% in the latest returns. All three candidates the largely ceremonial presidency are university professors.

North Macedonia previously was known as Macedonia. The name change took effect in February as part of an agreement to end a decades-long dispute with Greece.

In exchange, Greece said it would stop blocking the former Yugoslav republic's path to membership in NATO and the European Union. Greece had opposed its young northern neighbour gaining international recognition, asserting sole rights to the Macedonia name.

Outgoing President Gjorge Ivanov, who couldn't seek re-election due to term limits, tried to derail or delay the deal with Greece that gave rise to the name change.

The deal emerged as the main campaign issue of the presidential contest. Siljanovska vowed to challenge the agreement in the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

She said that as a constitutional law professor, she would "respect" the deal but also "will do my best to show that some of the solutions are against Macedonia's Constitution and against...the norms of the United Nations."

Pendarovski told reporters after he voted in the capital of Skopje that he expects North Macedonia to become a full member of NATO and the EU. He said he is a strong supporter of the deal with Greece that "fully preserves the national interest of both countries."

Reka expressed hope that North Macedonia will "prove that is ready for the start of the accession talks with the European Union."

More than 3,000 domestic and about 420 international observers monitored the election. Domestic election observers said the election proceeded calmly, although villagers locked one voting station to protest a lack of road repairs.

North Macedonia's struggles include a stagnant economy, more than 20% unemployment and pervasive corruption. At least 400,000 people, most of them young, have left the country in the past decade.

Some residents hoped for something better. Voter Stefan Kocevski said he expected the election to bring "positivity and change."

"I expect the situation to change for us young people and also changes in the country, our living conditions to improve and to go forward toward European Union and NATO," Kocevski said. </s> North Macedonia's pro-Western candidate has narrowly won the first round of a presidential poll which comes amid deep divisions over the country's name change under a deal with Greece.

Stevo Pendarovski won with 42.6% of the votes, according to results on the State Election Commission website, which is based on 74% of counted votes.

Pendarovski's rival opposition candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova came second with 41.6% of the vote. They will face each other in a run-off vote on May 5.

However, the State election commission put voter turnout at just 39%.

Pendarovski is a candidate from the governing SDSM coalition and a former adviser on national security in the Presidential Cabinet. He has adopted the campaign slogan of 'Together Forward' and is attempting to mobilise support across the ethnic divides of North Macedonia.

Pendarovski is a firm supporter of the Prespa Agreement, the accord which saw the Republic of Macedonia become North Macedonia, which could see the country gaining membership in NATO and the EU.

His pro-European message is being countered by Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, the candidate from the right-wing VMRO-DPMNE. The University Professor is playing to a significant crowd of Macedonians who are against by the Prespa Agreement, adopting the slogan 'Justice for Macedonia'. She has called for the Prespa Agreement to be changed and has called it “degrading”.

However, analysts have said the low voter turnout on Sunday reflects the disillusion among young voters about the government's failure to tackle high unemployment and attract foreign investment. </s> (This April 21 story was corrected to reflect change of country’s name in headline and paragraphs 1, 2 and 20)

Presidential candidate of the ruling SDSM Stevo Pendarovski greets his supporters during a news conference in Skopje, North Macedonia, April 21, 2019. REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski

By Kole Casule

SKOPJE (Reuters) - North Macedonia’s pro-Western candidate, Stevo Pendarovski, and his main rival Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova emerged tied in the first round of a presidential vote dominated by deep divisions over a change of the country’s name under a deal with Greece.

The change, which Greece demanded to end what it called an implied territorial claim on its northern province of Macedonia, resolves a decades-old dispute and opens the door to North Macedonian membership of NATO and the European Union.

But the accord continues to divide Macedonians and has eclipsed all other issues during campaigning for Sunday’s election, in which about 1.8 million voters were able to chose among three candidates.

Results on the State Election Commission website based on 98 percent of the votes counted showed Pendarovski got 42.7 of the votes, while Siljanovska-Davkova had 42.5 percent of the votes.

The two will face a run-off on May 5, reflecting differences over the deal pushed through by the pro-Western government of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev.

Blerim Reka, the candidate of the second largest Albanian party, came third with 10.4 percent of the votes.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT). The State Election Commission put turnout at 41.9 percent.

Both Zaev’s Social Democrats and the opposition VMRO-DPMNE proclaimed victory.

“I am convinced that in the second round we will have a European president of our state,” Zaev told journalists late on Sunday.

This election is about voting to move the country forward, he said.

“We won,” said Hristijan Mickoski, leader of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE, which supported Siljanovska-Davkova. VMRO-DPMNE opposed the deal with Greece.

Analysts said the low turnout was down to disillusion among voters at the government’s lack of progress in attracting foreign investment and tackling high unemployment.

“We need a new and better president, a nation’s father that will help move this country forward,” said Sonja Kjurcieva, a 49-year old housewife from Skopje.

“Together with the government they will bring us closer to Europe.”

The presidency has no authority to block constitutional amendments that were passed earlier this year by a two-thirds majority of parliament to enable the name change.

SHAPING THE FUTURE

Pendarovksi said the vote will be for how the country’s future will be shaped rather than a choice of president.

“I expect to win the elections and be the first woman president of Macedonia,” Siljanovska-Davkova said after casting her vote.

Slideshow (16 Images)

“I am a professor of European law, so I’ll respect (the agreement with Greece),” she said. “But I’ll do my best to show that some of the solutions are against our constitution.”

The presidency of the former Yugoslav republic is a mostly ceremonial post, but acts as the supreme commander of the armed forces and signs off on parliamentary legislation.

The refusal of outgoing nationalist President Gjeorge Ivanov to sign some bills passed by parliament has delayed the implementation of some key laws, including one on wider use of the Albanian language - 18 years after an ethnic Albanian uprising that pushed North Macedonia to the brink of civil war. </s> Voters in North Macedonia will elect a new president Sunday in a runoff vote dominated by deep divisions over a change in the country's name agreed to with Greece that has opened the path to NATO and European Union membership.

Greece had for decades demanded that the tiny ex-Yugoslav republic change its name from Macedonia, arguing that it implied a territorial claim on a northern Greek province also called Macedonia. The new name was formally ratified earlier this year.

But the accord continues to divide Macedonians and has eclipsed all other issues during campaigning for the presidential election, when about 1.8 million voters will choose between two candidates who got through to the second round.

The ruling coalition's candidate, a long-serving public official and academic, Stevo Pendarovski, and his main rival, the candidate of the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, finished neck and neck in the first round two weeks ago.

In the runoff, political analysts give the advantage to Pendarovski, who is expected to win support from voters of the second-largest Albanian party, whose candidate, Blerim Reka, came in third in the first round.

"We are halfway to full NATO membership, and in two months we expect a date to begin membership talks with the EU," Pendarovski told supporters at a rally. "After 10 years Macedonia deserves to have a president who will speed up every positive government policy."

Siljanovska-Davkova, a university professor, opposes the name change accord but is also pro-EU. She has accused the government of dragging its feet on economic reforms.

The presidency is a largely ceremonial post in North Macedonia but he or she is the supreme commander of the armed forces and also signs off on parliamentary legislation.

The refusal of outgoing President Gjeorge Ivanov, a nationalist, to sign some bills backed by parliament has delayed the implementation of key laws, including one on wider use of the Albanian language — 18 years after an ethnic Albanian uprising that pushed Macedonia to the brink of civil war.

But Ivanov had no authority to block the constitutional amendments passed earlier this year by a two-thirds majority of parliament that enabled the name change to North Macedonia. 

 

 Threat of low turnout

The main concern is that if voter turnout falls below 40 percent in the second round, the election will be declared invalid. In that case, the speaker of parliament would become interim president and new elections would have to be held.

"The ruling coalition voters are disappointed with the pace of reforms, while opposition supporters see that their candidate is not set to win, so many people are likely to stay at home," said Petar Arsovski, an analyst.

Turnout in the first round of voting was 41.6 percent.

Some opponents of the name change planned to boycott Sunday's vote.

"Vote? Why? Voting means I'm giving legitimacy to the name change. No thanks," said Dejan Temelkovski, 47, a dentist. "By not choosing a president, we are sending a message to all politicians that it is enough."

Polling stations will be open until 7 p.m. (1700 GMT), with the first preliminary results due two hours later. </s> Stevo Pendarovski has been inaugurated as the new president of North Macedonia, calling for "reconciliation" in a deeply divided society.

In his inauguration speech before parliament on May 12, Pendarovski promised he will serve all citizens and said, "It is time to heal open wounds from our recent past and to really start civil reconciliation."

"There are so many divisions, especially political," he said.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by the presidents of Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Kosovo, as well as Pendarovski's predecessor, former president Gjorge Ivanov.

Pendarovski told lawmakers that the country will have to tackle two priorities: economic development and the fight against "corruption, crime, and nepotism."

He said he will lobby European Union leaders to approve the opening of North Macedonia's accession talks in June.

Pendarovski, backed by North Macedonia's ruling Social Democratic Union (SDSM), won the presidential election runoff on May 5 with nearly 52% of the vote.

Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, the candidate favored by the main conservative opposition VMRO DPMNE party, had 45%.

Turnout was less than 47%.

Pendarovski, a former political-science professor, has strongly supported the so-called Prespa deal signed with Greece last year to change the country's name.

Siljanovska-Davkova has been critical of it, though the opposition has said it would not cancel the accord. She is also a strong proponent of EU and NATO integration.

The signing of the historic agreement with Greece changed the country's name to North Macedonia and ended a decades-long dispute that had blocked the Balkan state's path to NATO and the EU.

Ivanov, who ended his second and last five-year presidential term on May 12, was a fierce opponent of the deal.

Some information for this story came from AP. </s> SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) - North Macedonia is heading for a presidential election runoff with both candidates more or less tied and the outcome potentially determined by an ethnic Albanian candidate eliminated in Sunday's first vote.

The governing center-left party's candidate, Stevo Pendarovski, and conservative Gordana Siljanovsa will face off on May 5. According to the latest results released Monday, Pendarovski got 42.85% of the vote and Siljanovska 42.24%.

Ethnic Albanian Blerim Reka came third with 10.57%. He has not said whether he will back either candidate in the May 5 election. About one in four Macedonians is ethnic Albanian.

Turnout is also crucial because if it falls below 40% of registered voters the presidential election is considered invalid and must be held again from the beginning in two rounds. Sunday's turnout was 41.8%.

A woman checks lists before voting for the presidential election at a polling station in Skopje, North Macedonia, Sunday, April 21, 2019. Polls were opened early on Sunday in North Macedonia for presidential elections seen as key test of the government following deep polarization after the country changed its name to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece over the use of the term "Macedonia". (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

A couple cast their ballots for the presidential election at a polling station in Skopje, North Macedonia, Sunday, April 21, 2019. Polls were opened early on Sunday in North Macedonia for presidential elections seen as key test of the government following deep polarization after the country changed its name to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece over the use of the term "Macedonia". (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

A man looks at his ballot behind a voting booth at a polling station, during the presidential elections in Skopje, North Macedonia, Sunday, April 21, 2019. North Macedonia holds the first round of presidential elections on Sunday, seen as key test of the government following deep polarization after the country changed its name to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece over the use of the term "Macedonia". (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) </s> SKOPJE, North Macedonia — Polls opened early Sunday in North Macedonia for a presidential election seen as a key test for the government following the country's changing its name to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece over the use of the term "Macedonia".

More than 3,400 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and will close at 7 p.m. (1700GMT).

Three university professors are vying for the largely ceremonial presidency post.

Gordana Siljanovska Davkova is backed by the main conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, Stevo Pendarovski is a joint candidate of the ruling Social Democrats and 30 smaller parties, while Blerim Reka is supported by two small ethnic Albanian parties.

A candidate needs 50% plus one vote of the 1.8 million registered voters to win outright in the first round.
Macedonians go to the polls to elect the next President of North Macedonia in an election dominated by divisions over the Prespa agreement, which resolved the naming dispute between North Macedonia and Greece.