Macedonian opposition leader steps down after election defeat

04/06/2008

SKOPJE, Macedonia -- Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia (SDSM) leader Radmila Sekerinska announced on Tuesday (June 3rd) that she is leaving her post after her party lost Sunday's snap vote. Sekerinska said her decision was final and attributed it to "the principle of responsibility". She became chairwoman of the SDSM in November 2006.

Meanwhile, the State Election Commission announced on Tuesday that For a Better Macedonia coalition, led by the ruling VMRO-DPMNE, won 64 of the 120 seats in parliament. The Sun coalition, led by the SDSM, won 28 seats. The two ethnic Albanian parties -- the Democratic Union for Integration and the Democratic Party of Albanians -- received 13 seats each. These results, however, are not final. Officials will conduct a revote at polling stations affected by serious incidents on Sunday. (Dnevnik - 04/06/08; Makfax, A1, Beta - 03/06/08)