I would not be surprised if VMRO-DPMNE wins 61 seats in Parliament, said party leader Hristijan Mickoski.

Projections usually placed that party at between 52 and 55 seats, but following the major victory of the VMRO candidate Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova in the first round of the presidential elections, a collapse of their key rival SDSM is becoming more likely, and any seat SDSM loses will likely be picked by VMRO.

Some in SDSM and especially in the DUI party are even opening the prospects of a boycott of the presidential elections, hoping to create a political crisis if this election fails due to low turnout. But this demoralizing message would affect DUI and especially SDSM in the general elections, and would help VMRO get to 61 votes, that are needed to form a Government. VMRO plans to have coalition partners – the Albanian opposition group VLEN and likely the ZNAM party, which would certainly push the coalition over 61, but if VMRO gets to 61 on its own it will be able to fully dictate terms to the coalition partners.