SDSM party sources say that, while all members of the Executive Board of the party protested Zoran Zaev’s decision to resign as party leader and Prime Minister, he insisted to go ahead with this. The meeting of the Board concluded and their proposal is to hold party elections for a new leader on December 12th.

This proposal is now sent to the Central Board, which is already meeting, Fokus reports. Zaev announced his resignation following his major defeat to VMRO-DPMNE in the local elections. But he is still hoping that SDSM will be able to remain in power, with a new leader who will also be Prime Minister. Zaev is already trying to elevate little known Deputy Finance Minister Dimitar Kovacevski as the new leader, but he will likely face challengers from other wings of the party. All party members will be allowed to vote for the new leader – a process that Zaev went through less than a year ago.