Transparency and Oversight of Outdoor Paid Political Advertising: Local Elections 2025 in North Macedonia

The elections for members of the municipal councils and the City of Skopje Council and for mayors of the municipalities and the Mayor of the City of Skopje, which were held on 19 October 2025, were conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia, the Electoral Code and the Law on Local Self-Government.

Based on Articles 7, 57, 58, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 and Article 67 of the Election Law, and in accordance with the Schedule of the State Election Commission for the Execution of Electoral Activities for the Conduct of Local Elections 2025, number 11-1583/1 of 09.08.2021, the Municipal Election Commissions, i.e. the Election Commission of the City of Skopje, confirmed:

1. 581 lists of candidates for members of municipal councils and members of the City of Skopje Council, with a total of 10,598 candidates for councilors. A total of 4 lists with 99 candidates for councilors were rejected. 19 lists of candidates were confirmed for members of the City of Skopje Council, with a total of 855 candidates for councilors. For members of the councils of the 80 municipalities in the Republic of North Macedonia, 558 lists of candidates have been confirmed, with a total of 9,964 candidates for councilors.

• 316 lists of candidates for mayor of the municipalities and mayor of the City of Skopje, with a total of 316 candidates for mayors. A total of 7 lists for mayoral candidates were rejected. Of these, 16 lists of candidates were confirmed for mayor of the City of Skopje. 293 lists of candidates were submitted for mayors of the 80 municipalities in the Republic of North Macedonia.

For the local elections of 2025, as of 23.09.2025, the Municipal Election Commissions, i.e. the Election Commission of the City of Skopje, confirmed lists of candidates for mayor and lists of candidates for council members from a total of 153 different submitters (Political Parties, Coalitions and Voter Groups).

In order to raise funds to finance the election campaign, the political party, coalition, the holder of an independent list from a group of voters, i.e. persons who intend to run for office, must provide the competent authority with a Unique Tax Number marked “for election campaign” and open a transaction account with a payment operator (Bank) in the Republic of North Macedonia marked “for election campaign” and they cannot be used for any other purpose.