Constitutional Court of North Macedonia upholds political advertising rules

The Constitutional Court of North Macedonia has declined to initiate proceedings regarding contested provisions of the Electoral Code. The decision, reached with a 5:3 majority, maintains existing rules governing access to paid political advertising and the distribution of public funds.

The initiatives were filed by the political parties Levica and Democrats, who argued that the current regulations create unequal conditions for political subjects. They contended that the rules disadvantage smaller parties by limiting their access to media space and state resources, thereby threatening political pluralism.

Court President Darko Kostadinovski issued a dissenting opinion, stating his belief that the provisions are unconstitutional and fail to provide fair conditions for all participants in the electoral process. He noted that the current model makes it difficult for new parties formed between election cycles to receive adequate support. However, the majority of the judges ruled that the matter was ‘res judicata’, meaning it had already been decided in previous proceedings.

In a separate ruling, the Court struck down several provisions of the Law on the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors, with the changes set to take effect on January 1, 2027.