site.btaNearly Half of North Macedonia's Citizens Believe Country Is Moving in Wrong Direction

A total of 47% of citizens in the Republic of North Macedonia believe the country is moving in the wrong direction, according to a new survey by the Institute for Political Research in Skopje, presented by MRT1.

According to the results, 29.8% of respondents believe the country's direction is completely wrong, while 17.2% say it is somewhat wrong. In contrast, 44.6% believe the country is on the right track, with 14% stating the direction is completely correct and 30.6% saying it is somewhat correct.

When asked whether life in the country is better now than in previous years, 40.7% of respondents answered positively, 33.9% believe life is worse and a total of 21.7% said they see no change.

The poll, conducted ahead of the upcoming local elections, shows strong public support for the ruling VMRO-DPMNE. According to the data, 27.1% of respondents said they would vote for the VMRO-DPMNE-led coalition, while only 10.5% would support the opposition SDSM. The National Alliance for Integration, the new coalition name used by Ali Ahmeti's Democratic Union for Integration, received 9.6% support. The VLEN coalition, a government partner, has the backing of 8.6%, while opposition party Levica would receive 5.9%. Another government partner, the ZNAM Movement, is supported by 4.0%.

Regarding the election outcome, 29.8% believe VMRO-DPMNE will win the most mayoral and municipal council seats, while 8.5% expect the opposition SDSM to come out ahead.

The personal qualities of mayoral candidates appear to be the key factor for voters: 62.2% said the candidate’s individual qualities are more important in shaping their vote, compared to 24.5% who prioritize party affiliation.

The survey also indicates a voter turnout of over 50% in the upcoming elections. About 19.4% said it is unlikely they will vote, while 24.7% remain undecided or gave no answer.

The poll was conducted by phone in early September among 1,126 citizens of North Macedonia.