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Location: North Macedonia
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North Macedonia
2025
EOM
Local
elections
The relevant authorities should undertake further efforts to enhance women’s political participation. Political parties should identify and address barriers to women’s active engagement, including by reviewing and adjusting internal practices that impede women’s representation and effective participation within party structures.
Recommendation # in final report:
3
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Participation of Women
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Background and Political Context
North Macedonia
2009
EOM
Presidential
and Local
The Electoral Code and relevant sub-legal acts such as SEC instructions would benefit from a thorough review and amendments to harmonize provisions and to avoid gaps and inconsistencies within the legislation and with its practical application. Ideally, such a review would include an open process of public consultations. Some examples of existing gaps or inconsistencies include.16
- The Electoral Code does not make clear exactly what political activity is and is not permissible before the start of the official campaign period;
- The Electoral Code does not clarify whether parties and candidates need to provide a list of their authorized representatives to MECs and, if so, what the deadline is and what sanctions, if any, apply for failure to provide such a list;
- The Electoral Code does not state what happens if a candidate decides to withdraw from an election between the two rounds of voting;
- Article 37 of the Electoral Code is in conflict with the Article 148.1 regarding competences for deciding upon complaints; and
- Article 63.2 of the Electoral Code does not specify the procedure for the collection of support signatures during the candidate registration process at Ministry of Justice local offices.
Recommendation # in final report:
3
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Legal Framework
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Partially
Final report heading:
Legal Framework
North Macedonia
2013
EOM
Local
elections
In order to further enhance public confidence in the electoral process and to ensure an open campaign environment, relevant authorities should undertake greater initiatives to properly investigate allegations of voter intimidation and to take appropriate actions should any violations be proven.
Recommendation # in final report:
4
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Legal Framework
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Election Campaign
North Macedonia
2019
EOM
Presidential
Consideration should be given to aligning the official campaign period with the timeline for registration of contestants, to ensure campaign regulations apply consistently to all participants. Political activities before the official campaign period should not be outlawed.
Recommendation # in final report:
17
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Candidate Registration
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Partially
Year of assessment:
2024
Final report heading:
Election Campaign
North Macedonia
2019
EOM
Presidential
The State Election Commission and other actors should continue voter and civic education efforts to prevent family voting and preserve free choice for each voter. These education efforts should also tackle vote-buying, while law enforcement agencies should investigate vote-buying schemes and hold their organizers to account.
Recommendation # in final report:
27
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Election Day
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Partially
Year of assessment:
2024
Final report heading:
Election day
North Macedonia
2025
EOM
Local
elections
To increase the transparency of the electoral process and the accountability of all participants in the campaign, the mechanism whereby state institutions directly reimburse media outlets for the costs of campaign advertising placed by contestants could be reconsidered, with a view to increasing contestants’ involvement in this process.
Recommendation # in final report:
9
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Media
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Media
North Macedonia
2009
EOM
Presidential
and Local
The Electoral Code’s provisions on campaign financing could be amended to ensure genuine oversight of financing rules and to establish effective limits on donations and expenditures, as well as to clarify reporting and auditing procedures. This especially includes the following:
• Articles 83 and 84 of the Electoral Code could be reconsidered, with a view to abolishing exceptions for limits on campaign donations, which appear to undermine the intention of the law;
• The procedure for denial of reimbursement to candidates, based on the Article 87 of the Electoral Code, could be clarified; The Electoral Code or regulations could specify the content and format of the financial reports to be submitted by contestants; in particular, the current form prescribed by the Ministry of Finance does not currently require contestants to submit information on expenditures, which undermines the transparency and usefulness of such reporting;
• The auditing g procedure could be enhanced, to ensure some oversight of the finances of all candidates who participate in an election; and
• Article 86 of the Electoral Code, which provides for reimbursement of campaign expenses for elected candidates only, could be reconsidered and possibly replaced by a system under which all candidates who win a certain percentage of votes are entitled to reimbursement. Such a percentage could be high enough to ensure that
candidates have a degree of popular support, but low enough to provide more incentives a broader range of candidates, particularly women and members of smaller ethnic communities, who sometimes face difficulties in raising the funds required to mount a strong campaign.
Recommendation # in final report:
6
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Legal Framework
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Fully
Final report heading:
Legal Framework
North Macedonia
2019
EOM
Presidential
A comprehensive review of electoral legislation should be undertaken to address the shortcomings identified in this and in prior ODIHR reports. Campaign and media rules should regulate the presidential contest and ensure equal opportunities for candidates. Rules for the second round should be clarified. The reform process should be public, inclusive, and carried out sufficiently in advance of the next election.
Recommendation # in final report:
1
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2024
Final report heading:
Electoral System and Legal Framework
North Macedonia
2021
EOM
Local
elections
In a coordinated effort, state and local authorities as well as other actors involved in the election process should undertake further measures to ensure independent access of persons with various types of disabilities to the entire election process.
Recommendation # in final report:
14
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Participation of Persons with Disabilities
Secondary thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Sub-legal
Status of implementation:
Partially
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
North Macedonia
2021
EOM
Local
elections
Consideration could be given to strengthening the Municipal Election Commissions’ capacity and relevant procedures for handling complaints. The electronic system for filing and tracking complaints could be upgraded to provide timely updates of submitted complaints and increase transparency.
Recommendation # in final report:
31
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)
Secondary thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Complaints and Appeals
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