The current Deputy Finance Minister, Dimitar Kovacevski, is the new leader of the ruling Social Democratic Party (SDSM), as in the by-elections held today, he prevailed by a wide margin over the other two contenders for the leadership of the ruling party in the North.
Kovacevski succeeds Zoran Zaef in the leadership of SDSM. who resigned as party leader after suffering a heavy defeat in the recent municipal elections in northern Macedonia by the right-wing opposition VMRO-DPMNE. Zoran Zaef has been leading the SDSM since 2013.
Dimitar Kovacevski received about 85% of the vote in today’s by-elections, in which SDSM members voted, as announced late last night by the party’s election commission.
Kovacevski, 47, who was Zoran Zaef’s “choice” to succeed him as party leader, is relatively unknown to the public. It’s taking over the reins of the Social Democrats at a difficult time for them, as the party suffered a landslide defeat in the October 31 municipal elections, losing both the capital Skopje and all other major municipalities in the country.
In the coming days or weeks, Zoran Zaef will resign, as he has announced, from the post of Prime Minister of Northern Macedonia, paving the way for the new leader of SDSM to lead the new government in the country.
Last week, the small Albanian party “Alternativa” reached an agreement with Zoran Zaef on joining the ruling coalition of Northern Macedonia.
Under the agreement, “Alternative” will take over three ministries in the government (Health, Public Administration and Diaspora) in the new government of the country.
The participation in the government of the small Albanian party “Alternative” was considered probably necessary, in order for the current government, with a slightly different shape, to regain the parliamentary majority and complete its term, which typically lasts another two and a half years.
Zoran Zaef’s government temporarily lost its majority in Parliament after the municipal elections, as the small Albanian party “BESA” left the ruling coalition and joined the opposition.
However, with the participation of “Alternative” and with the support of another Albanian MP from the opposition, the government regained its parliamentary majority and is currently supported by 64 MPs, out of a total of 120 in Parliament.
In the current government, in addition to the SDSM and some smaller parties with which it cooperates, the largest Albanian party in Northern Macedonia, Ali Ahmeti’s DUI, also participates.
The regular congress of the largest opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE, was also held in Skopje today, with Christian Mickoski, who was also the sole candidate, re-elected leader.
Christian Mickoski was first elected to the leadership of VMRO-DPMNE in December 2017, with the “blessings” of the then strong man of the party, Nikola Gruevski, who in the meantime fled to Hungary where he received political asylum, in order to avoid evaluation. He was sentenced to two years in prison for corruption during his time as prime minister in Skopje.
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