The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has warned that several of its earlier recommendations for elections in North Macedonia remain unimplemented, including safeguards against the misuse of state resources, transparency in campaign financing, and media oversight. The organization announced it will deploy a large monitoring mission for the upcoming local elections scheduled for October 19.
The report, published on August 1, reflects findings from a needs-assessment mission held from June 24 to 27, during which ODIHR representatives met with state institutions, political parties, media outlets and civil society organizations. Most interlocutors highlighted the need for full-scale monitoring of the process, including compliance with the legal framework, candidate registration, campaigning, media coverage, party financing and election-day procedures.
Legal changes before elections
The legal framework for elections is generally assessed as adequate, though with gaps and ambiguities that, according to ODIHR, affect the clarity of the process. The report notes that the Electoral Code is often amended before elections, raising concerns about the stability of the rules.
“The Electoral Code has been subject to frequent changes, often right before elections. It was substantially revised in April 2024, but no further amendments have been introduced since then, despite earlier efforts for inclusive reform,” the report states. In June 2025, opposition party VMRO-DPMNE introduced draft amendments following a Constitutional Court decision that annulled provisions regulating signature thresholds for independent candidates. The proposals also cover budgeting procedures and the financial autonomy of Municipal Election Commissions.
Unfulfilled recommendations
ODIHR recalls that its final report on the 2021 local elections contained 36 recommendations, nine of them priority, several of which remain unaddressed. “Previous recommendations remain unresolved, including safeguards against misuse of state resources and voter pressure, increased transparency in campaign financing, and improved regulation and oversight of media conduct,” the report says.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice has prepared a package of amendments addressing many of these recommendations, but they have not yet been submitted to parliament and are not expected to be adopted before the October vote.
Most interlocutors expressed confidence in the professionalism of the election administration but voiced concerns about limited financial and human resources, especially in critical areas such as cybersecurity.
The issue of municipal councillors
New debates have also emerged over the number of municipal councillors following the 2021 census, which showed a significant population decline. In September 2024, the government decided to reduce the number of councillors in 14 municipalities, but the State Election Commission (SEC) failed to adopt instructions for candidate list submissions after member Ditmire Shehu, from DUI, demanded consensus-based approval. She argued that not only resident but also emigrant, non-resident populations should be counted.
SEC president Boris Kondarko said the commission has no authority to review government decisions. The issue has stirred new political tensions, with DUI claiming the decision disadvantages Albanians, even though reductions also affected municipalities with Macedonian majorities.
Deep political polarization and fragmented media
ODIHR assesses that the October elections will take place under a largely unchanged legal framework and in conditions of strong political polarization. “Election preparations are taking place amid ongoing political polarization, following a major political regrouping, and are considered a test for the newly formed government after the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections,” the report states.
Television remains the main source of political information, while online platforms and social networks dominate among younger audiences. Print newspapers have largely lost their relevance, with limited circulation and reach. The report highlights concerns over editorial bias, opaque media ownership and limited investigative journalism, while noting that the media landscape remains fragmented along political and ethnic lines.
Based on these findings, ODIHR recommends deploying a full-scale monitoring mission for the October elections. It will include a core team of analysts, 24 long-term observers to follow the process across the country, and about 250 short-term observers to monitor election-day procedures. The mission will also cover media monitoring, in line with ODIHR’s standard methodology.