Macedonians handed power to the right-wing VMRO DPMNE in the elections held on July 5th, seen as largely fair and democratic. The VMRO DMPNE leader, Nikola Gruevski, promised to revive the impoverished economy and fight corruption.
But Gruevski may face difficulties ahead in carrying out his programme, due to the fact that he would not enjoy a clear majority in the 120-seat parliament, meaning the party will require coalition partners.
Political analysts are divided over who will be the new government's partner from among the country's large Albanian community. Most agree the new coalition will also be more fragile than previous governments.
The State Election Commission report that only 56.15 per cent of the 1.7 million voters turned out: VMRO DPMNE won 32.46 per cent of cast votes, against 23.31 per cent for the incumbent Social Democrats, SDSM. The New Socials Democrats, NSDP, a splinter party from the SDSM, took 6.1 per cent, while VMRO Narodna, led by the former prime minister, Ljupco Georgievski, gained 6.12 per cent.
Among Albanian parties, the party of former rebels in the 2001 insurgency, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, won 12.24 per cent, while their opponents, the Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, took 7.5 per cent.
A major question is whether VMRO DPMNE will stick to its previous Albanian partner, the DPA, or offer an alliance to the DUI, which won far more Albanian votes and has been the partner of the Social Democrats over the past four years.
However, VMRO DPMNE will still need another Macedonian partner if it is to have a stable coalition.
The main candidates for such a coalition are the VMRO NP party of former hard line nationalist Ljupco Georgievski and the NSDP, a splinter leftist party of former Social Democrat Tito Petkovski.
VMRO DPMNE was now entering a long period of tough negotiations to form a government.
But Gruevski may face difficulties ahead in carrying out his programme, due to the fact that he would not enjoy a clear majority in the 120-seat parliament, meaning the party will require coalition partners.
Political analysts are divided over who will be the new government's partner from among the country's large Albanian community. Most agree the new coalition will also be more fragile than previous governments.
The State Election Commission report that only 56.15 per cent of the 1.7 million voters turned out: VMRO DPMNE won 32.46 per cent of cast votes, against 23.31 per cent for the incumbent Social Democrats, SDSM. The New Socials Democrats, NSDP, a splinter party from the SDSM, took 6.1 per cent, while VMRO Narodna, led by the former prime minister, Ljupco Georgievski, gained 6.12 per cent.
Among Albanian parties, the party of former rebels in the 2001 insurgency, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, won 12.24 per cent, while their opponents, the Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, took 7.5 per cent.
A major question is whether VMRO DPMNE will stick to its previous Albanian partner, the DPA, or offer an alliance to the DUI, which won far more Albanian votes and has been the partner of the Social Democrats over the past four years.
However, VMRO DPMNE will still need another Macedonian partner if it is to have a stable coalition.
The main candidates for such a coalition are the VMRO NP party of former hard line nationalist Ljupco Georgievski and the NSDP, a splinter leftist party of former Social Democrat Tito Petkovski.
VMRO DPMNE was now entering a long period of tough negotiations to form a government.
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