North Macedonia votes today for the new president

The northern Macedonians return today to the ballot boxes to elect the new president. These elections are expected to lead to headaches in politics for ruling Social Democrats, whose candidate is facing a rival-backed nationalist.

Concretely in the race are Stevo Pendarovski, of the ruling Social Democratic party Zoran Zaev and Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, a candidate of VMRO DPMNE, led by Hristijan Mickovski. Stevo Pendarovski and right-wing party Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova ended up in the run-off in the first round of voting last month. Voting is open at 7:00 am and will be closed at 19:00 in the evening. The voting right has about 1.8 million people who can realize it in 3512 polling stations. Elections will be valid if more than 40 per cent of voters are cast in the polls. If voter turnout lower than the aforementioned figure, in the second Sunday run, the entire process will be canceled threatening a new period of political insecurity in one of Europe's poorest countries.