North Macedonia votes in elections set to test EU ambitions
Al JazeeraMAY 1 2024
Right-Wing Opposition Makes Gains in North Macedonia
Image copyright: European People's Party via Wikimedia Commons
The Spin
Narrative A
Frustration over the delay in North Macedonia's accession to the EU has prompted voters to side with the nationalist opposition — this choice is doomed to backfire. While the VMRO claims to support EU integration, it has yet to prove its commitment to the agenda, particularly because it seems to be willing to revive tensions with Bulgaria and Greece.
Narrative B
The incumbent socialists have falsely sought to instill fear that conservatives would threaten the country's EU accession to no avail. North Macedonians have given a clear mandate for Your Macedonia to put an end to the corruption and humiliation suffered under leftist leadership in a historic vote that saw the country's highest turnout in recent times.