Constitutional law professor at the Faculty of Law in Skopje, Borce Davitkovski, explained to Plusinfo the procedure that Zaev and his successor will have to go through in the coming period. However, he suggested that other scenarios could be considered as well.

The procedure is similar to after every parliamentary election. The SDSM candidate for prime minister will have to inform the president that he can secure the parliamentary majority, which will vote on his proposals for the composition of the new government. The president will then present the mandate, and the legally defined period for interparty negotiations begins. However, in this situation, it may happen that a representative of another party gets the mandate, if a new parliamentary majority appears. Therefore, the possibility of new government led by VMRO-DPMNE should not be ruled out, said Davitkovski.

The legal procedure obliges the Prime Minister to first offer the resignation to the Parliament Speaker, who should convene a session to discuss the resignation.

The Prime Minister and all current ministers remain in office until the new government is elected. During the whole process, Zaev will remain in office and will perform his tasks, adds Davitkovski.

The professor also says that this parliamentary majority can elect a government as long as it has a mandate for that, but if no prime minister-designate is able to form a majority in the Parliament, then early elections are an option.

In that case, the Parliament will first have to dissolve itself, and then schedule the new parliamentary elections, says Davitkovski.