Skopje, 29 October 2021 (MIA) – A record number of independent municipal councilors were elected in the October 17 local elections – a total of 67 councilors who will take office across 34 municipalities in the country. At least one independent councilor was elected in 85 percent of the municipalities, where lists of independent councilors were submitted, or in over 40 percent of the total number of municipalities, a double increase compared to the 2017 local elections across 18 municipalities, i.e. 22 percent of the total number of municipalities there were 37 independent councilors. Independent groups of members of municipal councils in the 2021 local elections won 67 terms – 4.97 percent of a total of 1,347 councilor seats, considered a record number of independent councilors in municipal councils since the declaration of independence, show data posted on the State Election Commission (SEC) website. Voters in the 2000 local elections elected a mere 1.73 percent of independent councilors of the total number of councilor seats, the lowest number recorded so far. The 2017 local elections recorded 2.74 percent of elected independent municipal councilors, followed by the 1996 local elections when 3.66 percent of independents were elected. Also, 4.16 percent of independent members of municipal councilors were elected in the 2013 local elections, followed by the 2009 local elections, 4.5 percent, and the 2005 local elections – 4.77 percent. In the October local elections for mayors and members of municipal councilors, of 546 lists of councilors, 63 were lists of independent candidates (11.5 percent). Lists of independent councilors were filed in 40 municipalities, which is half of the total number of municipalities in North Macedonia and the City of Skopje. 34 municipalities now have at least one independent member of the council, which comprises 85 percent of the municipalities where independent candidates had submitted lists – over 40 percent out of 80 municipalities in the country and the City of Skopje. Since declaring independence in 1991, the country had held its first local elections on November 17, 1996. Voters also elected mayors and members of municipal councils in 2000, 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2017.