North Macedonia, presidential election campaign begins

(ANSA) - SKOPJE, 04 APR - The election campaign began in Northern Macedonia today ahead of the presidential ballot scheduled for April 24. Seven candidates are competing, including outgoing President Stevo Pendarovski, who is running for a second five-year term.
    Backed by the ruling Social Democratic Party (SDSM), Pendarovski is first in the polls, along with conservative candidate Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, supported by the VMRO-DPMNE party, the main opposition force.
    According to predictions, the two will face each other in the almost certain runoff scheduled for May 8, the same day as the parliamentary elections.
    It would be a re-run of the challenge between Pendarovski and Siljanovska Davkova, who faced each other in the runoff of the previous 2019 elections, which Pendarovski won then. The other five presidential candidates are Bujar Osmani, Biljana Vankovska, Arben Taravari, Maksim Dimitrijevski, and Stevco Jakimovski. (ANSA).