Macedonia's SDSM accuses government of election‑law manipulation blocking EU progress

The Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) says the ruling coalition’s draft changes to the election law are designed to give the government an advantage rather than meet European Union requirements. The party stresses that the EU calls for credible, fair elections, an independent judiciary and a strong anti‑corruption fight, not a party‑specific code.

SDSM leaders, including Racin and Filipče, argue that opposition parties such as VMRO‑DPMNE, LSDM, BDI and Levica are deliberately blocking reforms and proposing measures that could enable vote‑rigging, especially concerning diaspora voting. The party also alleges a corruption scheme in which state contracts worth over €2 million have been awarded to firms linked to the ruling party, citing the “Marathon Group” and “S.I.A. Media”.

SDSM demands that the State Election Commission receive all electoral material, that diaspora voting follow existing safeguards, and that the government implement OSCE/ODIHR recommendations. The party claims that the real obstacle to EU accession is the ruling coalition’s failure to carry out essential reforms.