Macedonian parliamentary election, 2008
Requirements
18 parties, alliances and community groups competed to early elections. They had become necessary because the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA ) had left the coalition in March. The occasion was the refusal of the Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski to recognize Kosovo. The Albanian minority makes up about 25 % of the country's population.
The unicameral parliament of Macedonia ( Macedonian Собраніе, Albanian Kuvendi ) is elected for four years. To the 120 seats to candidates competed in 1540.
Surveys and campaigns
In the pre-election polls conducted with approximately 31 % of the vote, the National Conservative ruling party VMRO- DPMNE and several allied with their small parties. Acting Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski announced its intention to continue to govern with his former coalition partner, the Albanian Democratic Party ( PDSH ). In surveys of the PDSH Menduhi Thaçi was about 6%.
As the biggest opponents of the ruling VMRO -DPMNE, the Social Democratic League of Macedonia ( SDSM ) was led by the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs Radmila Sekerinska. She reached in 2005, the EU granted Macedonia the status of candidate country. Sekerinska campaigned on a promise to fight for within six months of a date for accession talks, what you did not succeed.
The election campaign was marred by a number of violent attacks. The chairman of the Democratic Union for Integration (BDI ), Ali Ahmeti, an attack took place, many BDI party offices were destroyed. Ahmeti accused for the rival PDSH and " structures of the Interior Ministry ." On election day the headquarters of the BDI was shot in Skopje; this after party details a man lost his life. In 20 polling stations in the inhabited mainly by Albanians areas, the vote had to be canceled due to assaults. There, the choice had to be repeated. The European Commission was "very worried" about the incidents.
Election result
The alliance of Prime Minister Gruevski was in 2006 to increase its share compared to the last election by more than 16 % to hit 48.8 % of the vote. With this in relation to the polls surprisingly strong result it reached the absolute majority of the seats in Parliament. The Social Democrats were subject to clear with around 23.7%. The Democratic Union for Integration (BDI ) came to 12.8 %, previously allied with Gruevski Albanian Democratic Party ( PDSH ) to 8.5% of the vote. The turnout was 57.1%.
After counting all the votes gave the following result:
Reactions
The Office of Democracy and Human Rights (ODIHR ) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE ) monitored the election with 309 observers in the country. With regard to the acts of violence they announced after the voting that the conduct of the parliamentary election was inconsistent with international standards ..
Prime Minister Gruevski announced after the elections, to want to continue to rule with an Albanian coalition partner. The decision which will be offered to the Cabinet of the two major Albanian parties of admission, he was initially dependent on how the parties behave in the repeat election in areas affected by violence voting districts. Finally Gruevskis VMRO -DPMNE coalition came in with the previously opposition Albanian party BDI. Presented six weeks after the election, the Prime Minister before his new cabinet.
The small Albanian party PDP (Party for Democratic Prosperity ), which had reached in the choice of 0.7 % of the vote, shortly thereafter merged with the PDSH.
Radmila Sekerinska, President of SDSM, congratulated the winners, but warned that this would now taken a " huge burden and responsibility." Mrs. Sekerinska referred to the victim on election day and said: ". The price we have paid during the election, was too high," Two days after the election took them back by the chair of her party.