North Macedonia holds second round of local election with ruling conservatives leading

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — Voters in North Macedonia cast ballots Sunday in local election runoffs that are expected to cement the ruling conservatives’ landslide victory in the first round.

VMRO-DPMNE candidates won 33 out of 44 mayoral contests decided in the Oct. 19 first round, including a majority of city councilors, leaving opposition Social Democrats trailing and dashing hopes of an early general election.