North Macedonia set to elect first woman president as center-left incumbents suffer major losses

By KONSTANTIN TESTORIDES
Associated Press

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — Early results show a wide lead for the conservative challenger who would be North Macedonia’s first woman president, as the center-left government faces major losses in twin presidential and parliamentary elections. With more than half the vote counted, 70-year-old law professor Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova led the presidential run-off with 63.8% of the vote, while incumbent Stevo Pendarovski had just 29.7%.  Siljanovska-Davkova was backed by the conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, which made gains on popular discontent over the country’s slow path toward European Union membership and its sluggish economy.