Skopje, March 19 — The seventh consecutive election for the president of Macedonia will take place on April 24, and the second round of elections on May 8, together with the parliamentary elections.
Macedonian citizens can choose between 7 candidates who have collected the required 10,000 signatures.
Unsuccessful candidates for the elections were Velo Markovski, Gospodin Poposki, Gjorgi Manaskov, Mersiha Smailovikj, Zorica Cvetkovska, Goce Ristov, Dragan Nikolovski, and Tome Nikolovski, who withdrew his candidacy.
But who are the candidates who are actually running for president?
In alphabetical order:
Arben Taravari
European Alliance for Change (EAC) - Opposition
Taravari (1973), doctor and former Minister of Health (2017). He is currently mayor of the municipality of Gostivar.
Biljana Vankovska Cvetkovska
Independent, backed by The Left (Levica) - Opposition
Vankovska (1959), doctor of political science and full-time professor. She was previously a candidate in the 2014 presidential elections.
Bujar Osmani
Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) - Ruling party
Osmani (1979), doctor, politician, current Minister of Foreign Affairs, and former Minister of Health (2008-2011). Previously, he was Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European affairs (2017-2020).
Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova
Independent, backed by Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE) - Opposition
Siljanovska-Davkova (1955), Ph.D. in legal sciences, a university professor, and a member of the Assembly of Macedonia. Siljanovska-Davkova was previously a Member of the Constitutional Commission of the Assembly (1990–1992) and Minister without Portfolio (1992–1994). She was also a candidate for the last presidential elections in 2019.
Maksim Dimitrievski
Za Nasha Makedonija (ZNAM) - Opposition
Dimitrievski (1975), politician and current Mayor of the Municipality of Kumanovo since 2017. He was previously President of the Council of the Municipality of Kumanovo (2012-2016) and Member of Parliament (2016-2017).
Stevcho Jakimovski
Citizen Option for Macedonia (GROM) - Opposition
Jakimovski (1960), mayor of the Municipality of Karposh. He was previously Minister of Economy (2004) and Minister of Labour and Social Policy (2004-2006).
Stevo Pendarovski - incumbent
Independent, backed by Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) - Ruling party
Pendarovski (1963), Ph.D in Political Science, and incumbent president. Previously, Pendarovski was National Security Adviser (2001–2004), President of the State Election Commission (2004–2005), National Security and Foreign Policy Adviser (2005–2009) and Member of Parliament (2016–2019).