2017 Macedonian local elections

2017 Macedonian local elections

← 2013 14-15 October 2017 (first round) 28-29 October 2017 (second round) 2021 [mk] →
80 municipalities and Skopje
First party Second party Third party   Leader Zoran Zaev Ali Ahmeti Nikola Gruevski Party SDSM BDI VMRO-DPMNE Mayoralities won 57 10 5 Change 53 4 51   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Ziadin Sela Bilal Kasami Menduh Thaçi Party ASh Besa PDSh Mayoralities won 3 1 1 Change 3 1 1   Seventh party Eighth party   Leader Beycan Ilyas Party DPTM Independent Mayoralities won 1 3 Change 1

Local elections were held on October 14–15 and 28–29, 2017, in the Republic of Macedonia to elect mayors and members of municipality councils of the 80 municipalities in Macedonia. These were the sixth local elections since the independence of Macedonia.

The mandates of the current mayors and municipality councils ran out on May 22, and unlike those of government ministers, they are not automatically prolonged until new ones are elected. The delay in this respect prevented institutions under municipal authority, such as schools, kindergartens, public enterprises, fire-fighting units, to execute their duties. The new parliamentary majority extended the mandate of the local councils and mayors until new election are held.

On June 3 the newly established government set October 15, 2017 as the date of the upcoming local elections. On August 6, Macedonian parliament speaker Talat Xhaferi announced that local elections would be held October 15, 2017.

The local elections were held as scheduled, on October 15, 2017. The election started in 7AM (local time) and the process was held in relatively peaceful mood, with several minor incidents throughout the country. The polling stations were closed 12 hours later. However, only 45 municipalities elected a mayor in the first round, and 35 had to vote again on October 29.

The second round of the local elections was held as scheduled, October 29, 2017. The election started in 7AM (local time) and the process was held in relatively peaceful mood, with several minor incidents throughout the country. The polling stations were closed 12 hours later.

In both of the first two rounds, voting was held a day early (October 14 and 28) for hospitalized and disadvantaged persons, and those in home detention or prison. A third round re-vote was held on November 12 in the municipality of Čair only.^[1]