| Author (Corporate) | European Parliament: European Parliamentary Research Service |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Briefing |
| Series Details | December 2016 |
| Publication Date | December 2016 |
| Content Type | Journal | Series | Blog |
|
Summary: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is to hold preliminary parliamentary elections in December; these are long overdue and have been postponed twice. The country is going through an extended period of uncertainty, to which continued political instability, the migrant influx, backsliding in areas such as rule of law and media freedom, mistrust towards institutions and not least, a stalled EU accession process, have contributed substantially. A wiretapping scandal in early 2015 pushed the country into possibly its worst crisis since the inter-ethnic clashes of 2001, and sparked numerous protests throughout 2015 and 2016. Public trust in the government eroded as the release of illegally recorded conversations exposed abuse in the form of corruption, voter fraud, suppression of free media and efforts to manipulate the judiciary. The resulting political insecurity reignited inter-ethnic tensions and affected the economy. The EU stepped in as mediator, helping the main political parties reach an agreement and commit to reforms. Nevertheless, the agreement's slow implementation, the worsening rule of law and slack reforms have further compromised EU membership prospects, which had already been clouded by the long-running name dispute with Greece. Questions have also been raised about how efficient and sufficient the EU approach is with regard to both the country and the broader region. Once a frontrunner in the region's shared efforts to join the EU, FYR Macedonia now trails. Elections are widely seen as a necessary first step out of the present unsustainable situation. Failure to establish a working government and parliament is expected to indefinitely prolong the crisis and bring further uncertainty. The EPRS published in December 2016 a Briefing on the political situation in the FYR Macedonia, considering the parliamentary election held on 11 December. It analyses the succession of events in the country which created uncertainty and affected both political stability and the rule of law. It also highlights the role played by the European Union in the attempts to secure an agreement between the main political parties. |
|
| Source Link | http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/595847/EPRS_BRI(2016)595847_EN.pdf |
| Related Links |
|
| Countries / Regions | North Macedonia |
