Skopje, 29 September 2025 (MIA) - At the Local Elections 2025, the citizens of Skopje will have a chance to choose their mayor from among 16 candidates, only one of whom is a woman. Nineteen lists with a total of 855 candidates, of whom 398 women, are in the race for the 45 seats in the Skopje City Council.

The candidates in the Skopje mayoral race are Orce Gjeorgjievski backed by VMRO-DPMNE and its coalition; Kaja Shukova backed by SDSM and its coalition; Dragan Nikolovski, independent; Sasho Manevski, independent; Zoran Jovanovski from United Macedonia; Amar Mecinovikj from Levica, Demir Ismail from the Alliance of Roma; Vladimir Kunoski from the Workers’ Party; Aleksandar Tortevski from Tvoja Partija; Srdzan Amet from Union of Romas Skopje; Aleksandar Trajanovski backed by the coalition Experience for Success (LDP, GROM, Integra, PCER); Vangel Bozhinoski from Rodina Makedonija, Skender Rexhepi backed by DUI-led National Alliance for Integration; Vladimir Trajkovski from Makedonska Era Treta/Macedonian independent lists/sovereignists; Goran Markovski backed by Independents Together; and Aleksandar Rashkovikj from TMRO.

For comparison, the previous local elections in 2021 saw 12 candidates run for Skopje mayor.

In the Municipality of Aerodrom the candidates are Slavko Mishura, independent; Marjan Dimitriev from Levica; Vladimir Mihajlovski from TMRO; Dejan Mitevski from VMRO-DPMNE and its coalition; Aleksandar Trajanovski from SDSM and its coalition; and Dejan Lazarevski backed by the Experience for Success coalition.

In Aerodrom, 10 lists with a total of 270 candidates are in the running for the 27-member municipal council.

Four candidates are running for mayor of the Municipality of Butel: Olivera Livrinikj backed by SDSM and its coalition; Isamedin Azizi backed by DUI and its coalition; Darko Kostovski backed by VMRO-DPMNE and its coalition; and Behar Emini from VLEN.

The Butel municipal council has 19 seats, with 228 candidates from 19 lists in the running.

In the Municipality of Gazi Baba, there are seven candidates for mayor: Zlatko Trenchevski supported by Levica; Zoran Petkovski from the party Democrats Skopje; Vlatko Mitovski from the coalition led by SDSM; Boban Stefkovski supported by the coalition led by VMRO-DPMNE; Marija Majkich from United Macedonia; Vlatko Utevski from Makedonska Era Treta/Macedonian independent lists/sovereignists; and Tone Dimkovski from the Workers' Party.

The Gazi Baba municipal council has 27 seats, with 324 candidates from 12 lists in the running.

The race in the Municipality of Gjorche Petrov will see four candidates clash: Aleksandar Dimitrijevikj from Levica; Kostadin Acevski from the SDSM-led coalition; Ljupcho Janevski from the Experience for Success coalition; and Aleksandar Stojkoski from VMRO-DPMNE's coalition.

In Gjorche Petrov, 7 lists with a total of 161 candidates are in the running for the 23-member municipal council.

There are five mayoral candidates in the Municipality of Karposh: Sotir Lukrovski backed by VMRO-DPMNE; Antonio Dimitrov from Levica; Stevcho Jakimovski backed by Experience for Success; Maja Mojsova-Mijovska from the SDSM-led coalition; Nevena Georgievska, independent.

270 candidates from 10 lists are vying for a seat in the 27-member Karposh municipal council.

Seven candidates are running for mayor of the Municipality of Kisela Voda: Marko Tashkov, independent; Keti Staleska, independent; Jane Acevski from Levica; Gordan Trajkovski from SDSM’s coalition; Beti Stamenkoska-Trajkoska backed by VMRO-DPMNE's coalition; Oliver Popovski backed by the Experience for Success coalition; and Marko Saldzievski from Tvoja Partija.

The Kisela Voda municipal council has 27 seats, with 243 candidates from 9 lists in the running.

There are four mayoral candidates in the Municipality of Saraj: Muhamet Elmazi from VLEN; Remzi Mamuti, independent; Tenzi Beluli from Democrats; and Blerant Ramadani backed by DUI’s coalition.

The council in this municipality has 19 seats, and three lists with a total of 57 candidates have been submitted.

There are five candidates for mayor of the Municipality of Centar: Miroslav Labudovikj from ZNAM; Goran Gerasimovski backed by SDSM’s coalition; Marija Srebrova from Levica; Biljana Ivanovska, independent; and Lidija Gjorgjevikj from Makedonska Era Treta/Macedonian independent lists/sovereignists.

The Centar municipal council has 23 seats, and 9 lists with a total of 207 candidates have been submitted.

There will be three candidates in the race for mayor of the Municipality of Chair: Ico Kolevski from the Workers’ Party; Bujar Osmani backed by DUI’s coalition; and Izet Mexhiti from VLEN.

The Chair municipal council has 27 seats, and 9 lists with 243 candidates for council members have been submitted.

The Municipality of Shuto Orizari has the most candidates of all municipalities that make up Skopje – eight. The candidates are: Shaban Saliu from Democratic Forces of the Roma; Elvis Barjam from Alliance of Roma; Severdzan Iljan from Democrats Skopje; Kjamurdan Sejdi from the Democratic Party of the Roma; Edis Hasan from SDSM’s coalition; Kurto Dudush from the Union of Roma Skopje; Gjegje Demirovski from the Bosniak Democratic Union; and Erdzan Demir backed by VMRO-DPMNE's coalition.

Shuto Orizari has a 19-member municipal council, and a total of 133 candidates from seven lists are vyingfor a seat.

The local elections will be held on October 19, with potential run-offs scheduled for November 2. Monday is the first day of the 20-day election campaign. 

Photo: MIA