SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — North Macedonia ’s ruling conservatives cemented victory in a local election runoff on Sunday, winning just over two-thirds of the mayoral contests in two rounds of voting, leaving opposition Social Democrats far behind and dashing their hopes of an early general election

According to the State electoral commission, with nearly 99 % of ballots counted for both rounds, the ruling conservative VMRO-DPMNE party has won 55 mayoral contests, including in the capital Skopje, while the opposition Social Democrats got only six mayors. North Macedonia has 81 municipalities, of which 37 were contested in Sunday’s runoff.

Conservative candidates had already won 33 out of 44 contests decided in the first round two weeks ago.

VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski announ

See Full Page