Gjorge Ivanov

Gjorge Ivanov ( alternative names shape: Gjorgje, alternative transcriptions: Đorge Ivanov ( Serbo-Croatian transcription), Georgi Ivanov and Djordje Ivanov, in Cyrillic Ѓорге Иванов; born 2 May 1960 in Valandovo, then Yugoslavia, now Macedonia ) is a Macedonian political scientist, Professor at the University of Skopje since 2009 and acting President of Macedonia.

Scientific career

Gjorge Ivanov grew up in the city, in southeastern Macedonia Province City Valandovo. He started at the University " St. Cyril and Methodius " from Skopje to study law, which he completed in 1982. From 1988 to 1995 Ivanov was employed by the Macedonian Radio. In parallel, he created his thesis, which he completed in 1994.

Ivanov then advances his scientific career at the University of Skopje. In 1998 he received his doctorate, after which he was appointed Assistant Professor of Political Theory and Political Philosophy at the University. Four years later, Gjorge Ivanov Associate Professor and in 2008 finally full-time professor in Skopje.

Ivanov is the author of numerous publications on political theory and in particular the development of the political system in the Republic of Macedonia. He is married and has two children.

Political career

Ivanov was politically active in his youth; until the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1990, he was a member of the youth organization of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. Although he belonged to no more party after the founding of the Republic of Macedonia, he is close to the national- conservative party VMRO- DPMNE. After the VMRO -DPMNE won in June 2006 parliamentary elections, Ivanov supported the Gruevski government as an advisor.

In January 2009 Gjorge Ivanov was nominated by the VMRO -DPMNE for the presidential elections. As the incumbent president Branko Crvenkovski not seeking further candidacy and Gruevski could govern with absolute majority since the parliamentary elections of 2008, Ivanov was considered a favorite for the presidential elections. In the first round of elections on March 22, 2009 Ivanov secured around 34 % of the votes, but missed so much the necessary absolute majority. He placed himself in a runoff election on 5 April 2009 the Social Democratic candidate Ljubomir Frckoski, the large distance to Ivanov achieved the second best result of the seven presidential candidates with a vote share of nearly 20%.

According to projections Ivanov won the runoff election with a clear lead before Frckoski. The necessary turnout of 40 % recorded was only just surpassed after representatives of the Albanian minority in Macedonia had called for a boycott of the presidential election. The inauguration took place on 12 May 2009.