IPU PARLINE database: THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA, Last elections

Parliament name (generic / translated)

Sobranie / Assembly of the Republic

Structure of parliament

Unicameral

Dates of election / renewal (from/to) (from/to)

1 June 2008
29 June 2008

Purpose of elections

Elections were held for all seats in the Assembly following the premature dissolution of this body on 12 April 2008. The elections had previously been held on 5 July 2006.

On 11 April 2008, the Assembly of the Republic voted to dissolve itself, paving the way for early elections for the first time since the country gained independence in 1991. Speaker Ljubisha Georgievski subsequently called elections for 1 June, almost two years earlier than they were statutorily due.

In the previous elections held in July 2006, the 14-party coalition led by the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE, see note 1) won 45 of the 120 seats in the Assembly of the Republic. The "Together for Macedonia" coalition led by the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM), took 32 seats, while the Albanian Democratic Union for Integration-Party for Democratic Prosperity Coalition (DUI-PDP) obtained 17 seats.

President Branko Crvenkovsi (SDSM) subsequently designated the VMRO-DPMNE leader, Mr. Nikola Gruevski, as Prime Minister. He formed a coalition government comprising the VMRO-DPMNE, the Democratic Party of Albanians (PDS, 11 seats), the New Social Democratic Party (NSDP - a breakaway from the SDSM, seven seats) and some non-partisan members.

Although the 2006 elections went off in relative peace in the ethnic Albanian community (which accounts for a quarter of the country's 2.1 million inhabitants), the rivalry between the PDS and the DUI was re-ignited following Prime Minister Gruevski's decision to include only the smaller PDS in the coalition government. The DUI led street protests in a bid to join the government. It boycotted the parliament for most of 2007, finally returning in late 2007 after the government agreed to pass several remaining laws that related to the Ohrid Framework Agreement (a peace deal signed by the government and the Albanian community in 2001).

Political turmoil continued in 2008. On 14 March, the PDS, which had been demanding six new rights for the Albanian community (see note 2), withdrew from the government for ten days in protest at the government's decision not to recognize Kosovo (which declared independence from Serbia in February). On 2 April, the country's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) faced a veto by Greece due to a row over the use of the country's name. Prime Minister Gruevski had pledged to use the name "Republic of Macedonia", as written in the country's constitution. Greece, which has a northern province with the same name, had refused the name for fear of an eventual territorial claim and insisted that the name should be changed to "New Macedonia" or "Upper Macedonia".

On 8 April, the DUI leader Mr. Ali Ahmeti submitted a motion to dissolve the parliament for early elections. The DUI argued that the government had no capacity to negotiate the country's new name with Greece. Prime Minister Gruevski argued that he needed a stronger force in parliament to push forward the country's accession to NATO and the European Union (EU). The opposition SDSM criticized the call for early elections, arguing that greater priority should be given to implementing remaining reforms required to join those organizations and insisting that the VMRO-DPMNE was trying to use the anti-Hellenic mood to boost its support. President Crvenkovsi emphasized that the country needed political stability and a consensus between ethnic Macedonians and Albanians. In the end, the motion was supported by 70 members from the DUI, the VMRO-DPMNE and the DPA, thus paving the way for the early elections. The SDSM and the NSDP boycotted the vote.

Two major coalitions contested the 2008 elections. Prime Minister Gruevski's VMRO-DPMNE formed an electoral coalition "For a Better Macedonia" comprising 18 small parties (see note 3). It focused on the government's achievements, citing 5 per cent GDP growth in 2007, the highest since the country achieved independence. Prime Minister Gruevski claimed that his policy of combating organized crime had contributed to the country's economic development. He stressed that the country's future was in the EU and NATO. He also promised to cooperate with the party that won a majority of the vote in the Albanian community.

SDSM leader and former Deputy Prime Minister, Ms. Radmila Sekerinska, led the "Sun - Coalition for Europe", composed of the SDSM and seven parties (see note 4) including the NSDP. Ms. Sekerinska pledged to work for a quick resolution to the "name" row with Greece so as to enable the country's immediate accession to the NATO. She also promised to obtain a recommendation for EU accession talks within six months if the coalition won the elections.

On 14 April, DUI leader Ahmeti dismissed rumours that he intended to form an electoral coalition with his party's rival, the PDS. He argued that his party had stronger support among ethnic Albanians and therefore, such a coalition would not be beneficial. Finally, the PDS, led by Mr. Menduh Thaci, as well as another Albanian party, the Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP, which had been in coalition with the DUI in the 2006 elections), fielded candidates separately in 2008.

Organizing peaceful elections was a key criterion for the country's bid for accession to the EU and NATO. However, violence was rife during the election campaign, mainly among the Albanian community. According to the Interior Ministry, on election day, gun battles between rival Albanian groups killed one person, while eight others were injured. Twenty-one people were arrested.

On 1 June, 58.73 per cent of the 1.7 million registered voters turned out at the polls. The voting at 22 polling stations was suspended due to acts of intimidation, and the results of almost all polling stations in three constituencies were invalidated. Prime Minister Gruevski blamed the DUI and the PDS for the violent incidents and claimed that such violence tarnished the country's reputation.

The State Election Commission (SEC) reviewed appeals by the DUI, the DPA, the PDP, the Sun Coalition, and other small parties, and ordered re-runs to be held on 15 June in 186 of the 2,976 polling stations. In addition, elections for six seats were repeated on 29 June. Turnout for the re-runs was recorded at 48.90 per cent and 41.30 per cent respectively.

The OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe observed the polls. The OSCE concluded that, while well-administered, the elections did not meet certain key commitments of the OSCE and the Council of Europe. It urged the State to take substantial measures to hold accountable those responsible for violence and election-related offences.

The final results gave Prime Minister's VMRO-DPMNE Coalition a majority in parliament with 63 seats. The Sun Coalition came in second with 27. The DUI won 18 seats, while the PDS took 11. In all, 36 women were elected.

On 21 June, the newly elected Assembly of the Republic held its first session and elected Mr. Trajko Veljanoski (VMRO-DPMNE) as its new Speaker.

On 23 June, President Crvenkovski requested outgoing Prime Minister Gruevski to form a new government.

Note 1:
The VMRO-DPMNE Coalition (in the 2006 elections) included the following parties:
- VMRO-DPMNE
- Liberal Party of Macedonia
- Party of Macedonia
- Democratic Union
- Party for Movement of Turks in Macedonia
- Union of Roma in Macedonia
- Party of Democratic Action of Macedonia - SDA
- Party of Vlachs of Macedonia
- European Party of Macedonia
- Green Party
- People's Movement of Macedonia
- Democratic Party of the Bosniaks
- Party of Democratic Forces of Roma in Macedonia
- Party for Roma Integration

Note 2:
The six new rights included larger quotas for Albanians in the State administration, placing the Albanian flag together with the national flag in front of State institutions, wider use of the Albanian language, and the rehabilitation of the former fighters of the Army for National Liberation that had staged a revolt in the northwest of the country in 2001.

Note 3:
The VMRO-DPMNE - "For a Better Macedonia" coalition included the following parties:
- VMRO-DPMNE
- Socialist Party of Macedonia
- Democratic Union
- Democratic Renewal of Macedonia
- Democratic Party of Turks in Macedonia
- Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia
- Union of Roma in Macedonia
- VMRO - Macedonian
- United Party for Emancipation
- Party of Justice
- Party for Democratic Action in Macedonia
- Party of Vlachs in Macedonia
- Party for the Integration of Roma
- People's Movement for Macedonia
- Bosniacs' Democratic Party
- Party of Greens
- Democratic Union of Roma
- Party of Workers and Farmers of Macedonia
- Party for the Full Emancipation of Roma

Note 4:
The "Sun - Coalition for Europe" comprised the following parties:
- Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM)
- New Social Democratic Party (NSDP)
- Liberal Democratic Party
- Liberal Party of Macedonia
- New Alternative
- Green Party of Macedonia
- Party of Pensioners of the Republic of Macedonia
- Democratic Union of Vlachs in Macedonia

Voter turnout

Round no 1 (from/to)

1 June 2008
29 June 2008

Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes

1'779'116
1'031'632 (57.99%)
30'656
1'000'976

Notes

Distribution of votes

Round no 1
Political Group	Candidates	Votes	%
VMRO-DPMNE - "For a Better Macedonia" Coalition		481'602	48.11
"Sun - Coalition for Europe"		233'362	23.31
Democratic Union for Integration (DUI)		125'997	12.59
Democratic Party of the Albanians (PDS)		83'678	8.36
Party for European Future (PEI)		14'473	1.45

Distribution of seats

Round no 1
Political Group	Total
VMRO-DPMNE - "For a Better Macedonia" Coalition	63
"Sun - Coalition for Europe"	27
Democratic Union for Integration (DUI)	18
Democratic Party of the Albanians (PDS)	11
Party for European Future (PEI)	1

Distribution of seats according to sex

Men
Women
Percent of women

84
36
30.00%

Distribution of seats according to age

Distribution of seats according to profession

Comments

Note on distribution of seats according to sex:
Thirty-six women were elected in June 2008. However, after the formation of the new government in July, the total number of women parliamentarians increased to 38 (31.67 per cent).

Sources:
- http://www.sec.mk:90/english/
- Assembly of the Republic (26.06.2008, 30.06.2008, 13.08.2008)

	INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION
	>>> VERSION FRANÇAISE
	HOME -> PARLINE -> THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA