Macedonia’s political parties have still not reached an agreement on proposed changes to the Electoral Code, with postal voting for citizens living abroad remaining one of the most disputed issues.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has called for a political agreement by July 15. The government argues that voting by mail would make it easier for members of the Macedonian diaspora, including those living in the United States, to participate in elections without having to travel long distances to embassies or consulates.
The proposal gained attention after an earlier idea for electronic voting failed to secure enough political support. Supporters of postal voting say it could increase participation among citizens abroad, while opposition parties are demanding stronger guarantees that the process would be secure and transparent.
SDSM has raised concerns about how postal ballots would be monitored, whether the secrecy of the vote could be fully protected and how possible pressure or misuse would be prevented. The party has also insisted that the State Election Commission should play a central role in preparing and implementing any new voting system.
Levica has now presented a compromise proposal. The party said it would accept postal voting for the diaspora as a trial model during presidential elections, but only if VMRO DPMNE agrees to introduce a single nationwide electoral district for parliamentary elections.
According to Levica, the introduction of one electoral district would make every vote more equal and improve the chances of smaller parties receiving fair representation in Parliament. The party argues that this reform was one of the main reasons the electoral talks began, but that it was later pushed aside as diaspora voting became the central issue.
Levica also claims that postal voting was introduced as a condition only near the end of the negotiations. The party says it is prepared to support the proposal for presidential elections in order to show that it is open to compromise.
The debate is therefore no longer only about whether Macedonians abroad should vote electronically, by mail or at diplomatic missions. It also concerns the wider structure of the country’s electoral system and the way parliamentary seats are distributed.
The coming days will show whether the parties can reach an agreement before the July 15 deadline. For Macedonian citizens living abroad, the final decision could determine whether voting becomes more accessible in future elections.
