Local elections in North Macedonia – Between national issues and Citizens’ desire for change

The upcoming local elections in North Macedonia could serve as an important test of the political strength of both the ruling coalition and the opposition ahead of possible parliamentary elections next year. Perhaps for that reason, analysts note, local issues remain overshadowed by national ones. Campaigns resemble those of the past and, as experts told Kosovo Online, bring nothing new. Citizens agree—but they still haven’t lost hope for change.

Written by: Petar Rosic

Local elections in North Macedonia are scheduled for October 19, when citizens will elect mayors and councilors in 80 municipalities and in Skopje, where 18 candidates will compete for the position of mayor of the capital.

The campaign officially began on September 29. A total of 309 candidates are running for mayoral and municipal president posts, while 10,490 candidates appear on 576 lists for municipal council seats.

The State Election Commission has finalized the voter list, which includes 1,832,415 registered voters.

A Tight Race and “Phantom Lists”

According to a poll by the Market Vision agency, which is close to VMRO–DPMNE, this party currently leads with 22.9% public support. It is followed by the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) with 6%, and the SDSM with 5.9%.

The election race is expected to be highly dynamic, as relations between the main parties, along with issues of European integration and domestic reforms, will play a key role.

Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski accused SDSM and DUI of attempting to obstruct the local election process. He claimed that through “independent candidacies and phantom lists,” these parties are deliberately trying to undermine the electoral process in North Macedonia.

“They aim to confuse voters, deceive democracy, and blur the clear picture of their upcoming historic defeat. But behind this game is not only the party headquarters — the deep state of SDSM and DUI, and their people spread across the judiciary, election commission, and institutions, are working together to prevent the defeat that VMRO–DPMNE and our coalition will deliver to them in these local elections,” Mickoski said.

Citizens’ Expectations

As the campaign slowly enters its final phase, this year’s elections again provoke mixed feelings among citizens.

While some expect no change, others told Kosovo Online they still hope new mayors will bring order and a better quality of life.

“Just like in the previous elections,” said one Skopje resident when asked what he expects, adding he would like the new mayor to be “more engaged and calm people down.”

“He should build fewer apartment blocks and ensure more parks and greenery. That’s what we need,” he said.

Another resident admitted she no longer follows politics and has lost interest in elections.

“I don’t follow anything anymore, I’m not informed about the elections. I don’t even know why,” she said briefly.

A third respondent was much harsher, saying that nothing changes in politics.

“I have no expectations. Everyone who’s been in power so far lies and steals, nothing else,” she said.

Still, she expressed hope that a new mayor might bring some change.

“Danela has ruined the city. The biggest challenge for the next mayor will be to fix public transport. Hygiene is zero in this city, money is being drained, people pay taxes but we don’t know where the money goes,” she said, adding she’s disappointed with all political parties:

“They all make promises but fulfill nothing. It’s a disaster. People are very disappointed, yet they still go out to vote. I’m going too—just so no one steals my vote. Otherwise, I wouldn’t vote for anyone. I’m not satisfied with either VMRO or SDSM.”

Still, some citizens remain optimistic.

“I expect the elections to be fair and democratic for some, and unfair and undemocratic for others—like every election in Macedonia,” said one Skopje resident, adding, “It can’t get any worse.”

“I hope we’ll have a better mayor and that things will improve compared to today,” he concluded.

Shifting Themes

Although these are local elections, Professor Vladimir Bozinovski, political scientist and director of the Institute for Political Research, says parties will find it difficult to avoid national topics such as EU integration and relations with Bulgaria.

“The issues are always, so to speak, mixed. Of course, there will be local topics, but national themes are likely to dominate this campaign. I don’t think there will be one single central topic; rather, the focus will shift as the campaign progresses,” Bozinovski told Kosovo Online.

He expects the campaign to start with economic issues and hopes more attention will be given to local topics that citizens care most about.

“European integration and the dispute with Bulgaria will certainly be mentioned. I can’t say I expect it, but I hope local issues—those that really affect citizens’ lives—will also be included in the campaign, along with the promises made by the parties,” he noted.

Professor Jasna Bacovska Nedic of the “Justinijan Prvi” Faculty of Law in Skopje, a media and communications expert, shares this view.

“We’re at the very beginning of the campaign, though there’s always a pre-campaign period. As we can see, it’s our tradition that local election campaigns remain dominated by national issues—identity, the country’s name, and systemic state problems. Candidates are not moving away from that agenda, even though local elections are entirely different in nature, where individuality and the personal profile of the candidate matter most,” Bacovska Nedic told Kosovo Online.

Local Issues Take a Back Seat

According to her, candidates should focus more on their local communities.

“A candidate should have a positive perception within the community and rely less on their political party as a backdrop—emphasizing instead their personal integrity, ideas, and vision for the local area,” she explained.

She pointed out that North Macedonia faces numerous local challenges, including infrastructure, hygiene, and environmental problems, which candidates rarely address.

“Local self-government is inefficient, and citizens struggle to realize their rights. If we analyze campaign speeches, we’ll see very few candidates dealing with local problems. Political parties should therefore invest in internal education for their candidates. It’s not just about winning votes—it’s about social responsibility and taking concrete action,” she emphasized.

A Lack of Creativity and Authenticity

Discussing the visual identity of the campaigns, Bacovska Nedic added that creativity is also lacking.

“When we look at posters and billboards, they’re indistinguishable—there’s no creativity. You can’t tell the difference between local and national campaigns. The faces are the same, and there’s nothing innovative or issue-based,” she noted.

She added that campaigns should do more to engage young people and pull them out of political apathy.

“The campaign has just begun and will usually intensify toward the end. We’ll see how innovative candidates will be, especially in reaching out to young voters on social media. Campaigns shouldn’t only aim to gain votes or promote the candidates themselves—they should also serve as educational tools, to sensitize and involve young people, so we don’t have politically apathetic youth,” Bacovska Nedic argued.

In conclusion, she said the lack of authenticity among candidates is also a major problem.

“Authenticity is equally important. From what I can see, candidates aren’t genuine—they lack energy and emotional intelligence, and they identify more with their parties than with their personal vision for solving local problems,” the Skopje professor concluded.