North Macedonia’s first female president

The second round of the presidential elections in North Macedonia was won by Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova. She became the first woman to hold this position in the country’s history.

After counting almost all the ballots from Siljanovska-Davkova dials 65.1% of the vote, and her competitor and current President of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, 29.3%.

“Is there a greater change than the election of a woman as president? Together with women, I will take this big step forward, a step towards reform,” – said Siljanovska-Davkova, speaking to his supporters.

Siljanovska-Davkova, a 68-year-old law professor, was running for the opposition conservative Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party of Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE).

The same party is the core of the coalition of 22 parties “Your Macedonia” – won and parliamentary elections, which took place simultaneously with the presidential elections, receiving 43.2% of the vote. Its closest rival, which has been in power for seven years, the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, came in second with 15.4%.

In recent years, Macedonians have been frustrated by their country’s slow progress toward EU membership, a sluggish economy and a lackluster fight against corruption.