This was announced by the spokesperson of SDSM Bogdana Kuzevska and specified that the procedure for election of a new chairman of SDSM starts immediately. This will happen on December 12. Candidates for Zaev's post have 7 days to run. The leader of SDSM is elected by direct vote of all members of SDSM. Kuzevska did not confirm the information that Zoran Zaev had proposed the current Deputy Finance Minister Dimitar Kovachevski to be elected party leader. "This is a quality person who can make state decisions and support the country's European future," Kuzevska said of comments on Kovachevski's possible candidacy.

"The election for a new leader of SDSM will be on December 12. The application procedure starts tomorrow and will last 7 days. All SDSM members who meet the criteria according to the party's statute have the right to run. Members who have the right to vote will have the opportunity to vote,they are actively registering online. After the election of the SDSM chairman, the election of a new party leadership will begin. Zoran Zaev will remain an active member of the party," the SDSM spokesman said.

During a meeting of the party's leadership, Zaev said that "there is a stable parliamentary majority, which currently consists of 61 deputies. There are 120 deputies in the Macedonian parliament. Late last night it became clear that the Albanian formation "Alternative" of Afrim Gashi will lead negotiations to join the ruling coalition.

After losing the local elections on October 31st, Zoran Zaev announced that he would resign from both the SDSM leadership post and the prime minister's post. According to him, the new chairman of SDSM should be the future prime minister of RSM.

Zaev has been leading SDSM since 2013. He was also the mayor of Strumica for many years.

/BGNES