{"id":31823,"date":"2025-07-16T13:59:08","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T13:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/?p=31823"},"modified":"2025-08-15T11:14:50","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T11:14:50","slug":"local_elections_en","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2025\/07\/16\/local_elections_en\/","title":{"rendered":"The Right to Participate Should Not Be a Privilege: The Need for Fair Electoral Conditions for Independent Candidates in the Local Elections 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; animation_duration=&#8221;1&#8243; animation_delay=&#8221;0&#8243;]The previous Local elections in 2021 saw a record number of independent candidacies and winning seats in municipal councils. With 65,908 votes and 67 mandates, independent lists became the fifth political force in the elections. However, controversial amendments to the Electoral Code, adopted after the elections were called in 2024, introduced a new barrier for independent candidates in local elections\u2014a fixed threshold of 1% signatures from all registered voters in the municipality, significantly raising the requirements for independent candidacy in many municipalities and the City of Skopje.<\/p>\n<p>In May, the Constitutional Court annulled Articles 61 and 62 of the Electoral Code and requested an urgent intervention from Parliament to fill the legal gap. Local elections are planned for October, but the issue of independent candidates remains unresolved. The proposed amendments to the Electoral Code, which are already in parliamentary procedure, in the part concerning the participation of independent candidates and lists on the ballot, contradict the recommendations of ODIHR, the Venice Commission, and directly clash with the Constitutional Court&#8217;s decision.<\/p>\n<p>Read more in the document:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Memo-ENG-Pravoto-na-ucestvo-ne-treba-da-e-privilegija-eng.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Right to Participate Should Not Be a Privilege: The Need for Fair Electoral Conditions for Independent Candidates in the Local Elections 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html el_class=&#8221;wrapper-centres&#8221;]JTNDaDIlM0UlRDAlOUQlRDAlQjAlRDElODElRDElODIlRDAlQjAlRDAlQkQlRDAlQjglMjAlRDAlQkYlRDAlQkUlRDAlQjIlRDElODAlRDAlQjclRDAlQjAlRDAlQkQlRDAlQjglMjAlRDElODElRDAlQkUlMjAlRDAlQkYlRDElODAlRDAlQkUlRDAlQjUlRDAlQkElRDElODIlRDAlQkUlRDElODIlM0MlMkZoMiUzRQ==[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=&#8221;fadeInDown&#8221; animation_duration=&#8221;1&#8243; animation_delay=&#8221;0.6&#8243; el_class=&#8221;project-news&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]\r\n\t\t<div class=\"pfc-posts-main\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pfc-post layout-two\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-thumb\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2025\/07\/16\/local_elections_en\/\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"221\" src=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/6.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-text-wrap info-with-space\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    <h2><a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2025\/07\/16\/local_elections_en\/\">The Right to Participate Should Not Be a Privilege: The Need for Fair Electoral Conditions for Independent Candidates in the Local Elections 2025<\/a><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\t    \t<span class=\"posted-date\">16.07.2025<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=\"\" animation_duration=\"1\" animation_delay=\"0\"]The previous Local elections in 2021 saw...<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t     \r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .news-text-wrap -->\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pfc-post layout-two\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-thumb\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2025\/02\/19\/reforms-for-good-governance\/\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"221\" src=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/6.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-text-wrap info-with-space\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    <h2><a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2025\/02\/19\/reforms-for-good-governance\/\">Reforms for Good Governance: How Can We Earn the \u201cRewards\u201d from the Growth Plan?<\/a><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\t    \t<span class=\"posted-date\">19.02.2025<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t<p>In 2023, the European Union introduced the Growth Plan\u2014a new...<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t     \r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .news-text-wrap -->\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pfc-post layout-two\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-thumb\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2024\/09\/03\/anticorruption-2030-what-should-be-in-the-focus-of-the-parliament\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"274\" src=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/85x200Banner_2022-\u043c\u043a\u0434-2-300x274-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-text-wrap info-with-space\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    <h2><a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2024\/09\/03\/anticorruption-2030-what-should-be-in-the-focus-of-the-parliament\/\">Anticorruption 2030: What should be in the focus of the Parliament?<\/a><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\t    \t<span class=\"posted-date\">03.09.2024<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t<p>Foresight analyzes is a tool for timely identification of potential...<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t     \r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .news-text-wrap -->\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pfc-post layout-two\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-thumb\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2024\/07\/31\/%d0%bd%d0%b0-%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%b8-%d1%80%d0%b8%d0%b7%d0%b8%d1%86%d0%b8-%d0%be%d0%b4-%d0%ba%d0%be%d1%80%d1%83%d0%bf%d1%86%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0%d1%82%d0%b0-%d1%82%d1%80%d0%b5%d0%b1%d0%b0-%d0%b4%d0%b0-%d1%81\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"274\" src=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85x200Banner_2022-\u043c\u043a\u0434-2-300x274.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85x200Banner_2022-\u043c\u043a\u0434-2-300x274.jpg 300w, https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85x200Banner_2022-\u043c\u043a\u0434-2-1024x936.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85x200Banner_2022-\u043c\u043a\u0434-2-768x702.jpg 768w, https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85x200Banner_2022-\u043c\u043a\u0434-2.jpg 1205w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-text-wrap info-with-space\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    <h2><a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2024\/07\/31\/%d0%bd%d0%b0-%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%b8-%d1%80%d0%b8%d0%b7%d0%b8%d1%86%d0%b8-%d0%be%d0%b4-%d0%ba%d0%be%d1%80%d1%83%d0%bf%d1%86%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0%d1%82%d0%b0-%d1%82%d1%80%d0%b5%d0%b1%d0%b0-%d0%b4%d0%b0-%d1%81\/\">What corruption risks should be in the focus of the new Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral  Resources<\/a><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\t    \t<span class=\"posted-date\">31.07.2024<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t<p>With the most recent amendments to the Law on Organization...<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t     \r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .news-text-wrap -->\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pfc-post layout-two\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-thumb\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2024\/07\/31\/%d0%bf%d0%b0%d1%80%d0%bb%d0%b0%d0%bc%d0%b5%d0%bd%d1%82-2024-2028-%d0%bd%d0%be%d0%b2%d0%b8-%d0%b7%d0%b0%d0%bb%d0%be%d0%b6%d0%b1%d0%b8-%d0%b2%d0%be-%d0%b1%d0%be%d1%80%d0%b1%d0%b0%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bf\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"274\" src=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85x200Banner_2022-\u043c\u043a\u0434-2-300x274.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85x200Banner_2022-\u043c\u043a\u0434-2-300x274.jpg 300w, https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85x200Banner_2022-\u043c\u043a\u0434-2-1024x936.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85x200Banner_2022-\u043c\u043a\u0434-2-768x702.jpg 768w, https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/85x200Banner_2022-\u043c\u043a\u0434-2.jpg 1205w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-text-wrap info-with-space\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    <h2><a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2024\/07\/31\/%d0%bf%d0%b0%d1%80%d0%bb%d0%b0%d0%bc%d0%b5%d0%bd%d1%82-2024-2028-%d0%bd%d0%be%d0%b2%d0%b8-%d0%b7%d0%b0%d0%bb%d0%be%d0%b6%d0%b1%d0%b8-%d0%b2%d0%be-%d0%b1%d0%be%d1%80%d0%b1%d0%b0%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bf\/\">The 2024-2028 Parliament: New commitments in the fight against corruption<\/a><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\t    \t<span class=\"posted-date\">31.07.2024<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t<p>The Institute for Democracy hosted a discussion between MPs, relevant...<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t     \r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .news-text-wrap -->\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pfc-post layout-two\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-thumb\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2024\/02\/29\/recommendations-from-civil-society-organizations-on-good-governance-and-combating-corruption\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Recommendations-from-CSO-mocup.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-text-wrap info-with-space\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    <h2><a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2024\/02\/29\/recommendations-from-civil-society-organizations-on-good-governance-and-combating-corruption\/\">Recommendations from civil society organizations on good governance and combating corruption<\/a><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\t    \t<span class=\"posted-date\">29.02.2024<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t<p>This document includes the main findings and recommendations by civil...<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t     \r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .news-text-wrap -->\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pfc-post layout-two\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-thumb\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2023\/12\/04\/fostering-debate-on-accountability-and-anti-corruption\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"280\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Proekt-1-1-280x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Proekt-1-1-280x300.jpg 280w, https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Proekt-1-1-957x1024.jpg 957w, https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Proekt-1-1-768x822.jpg 768w, https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Proekt-1-1.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 280px) 100vw, 280px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"news-text-wrap info-with-space\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    <h2><a href=\"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/2023\/12\/04\/fostering-debate-on-accountability-and-anti-corruption\/\">Fostering Debate on Accountability and Anti-corruption<\/a><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\t    \t<span class=\"posted-date\">04.12.2023<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t    \t<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The project's overarching goal is to contribute to the reform...<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t     \r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .news-text-wrap -->\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; animation_duration=&#8221;1&#8243; animation_delay=&#8221;0&#8243;]The previous Local elections in 2021 saw a record number of independent candidacies and winning seats in municipal councils. With 65,908 votes and 67 mandates, independent lists became the fifth political force in the elections. However, controversial amendments to the Electoral Code, adopted after the elections were called in 2024, introduced a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31939,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1109,1121,1329,1151],"tags":[333,1237,1071,1241],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31823"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31823"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31823\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31826,"href":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31823\/revisions\/31826"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idscs.org.mk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}