North Macedonia elections: nationalists’ comeback season

North Macedonia elects the conservative, centre-right candidate Gordana Siljanovska Davkova as first female president and the parliament elects VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristian Mickoski as new Prime Minister. The comeback of the right to the seats of power is the result of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections (April 24th and May 8th), distinguished by a dense electoral campaign in a historical period during which the country is facing new challenges that hinder its path to joining the European Union. The issue of revising the Constitution, as desired by Sofia for the introduction of sections recognizing the Bulgarian minority in the North Macedonian territory, was indeed at the centre of the communication. Hence, the focus was placed on the concept of identity and on a more general clash between European integration (i.e. advancement of human rights) and national pride (i.e. protection of traditional institutions).