Macedonia opposition blocks election law over campaign funding dispute

The VMRO‑DPMNE party alleges that Dimitar Apasiev and the Levica party are obstructing the passage of a new election law despite a prior consensus to increase state funding for election campaigns. VMRO‑DPMNE says the pair are motivated by personal financial gain and political marketing rather than reform.

Prime Minister Christian Micic told reporters that certain parties, fearing defeat in the upcoming parliamentary elections, are trying to boycott the law’s adoption. He said the government is ready to accept proposals for one election unit, a larger budget for parties outside the four largest, and the introduction of diaspora voting by mail, rejecting what he described as “radicalised” positions.

Micic noted a decline in optimism after a recent parliamentary meeting and emphasized that the election law is the last outstanding indicator of the government’s reform agenda. The dispute centers on demand for more campaign funds and structural changes to the voting process.