The SDSM Central Board is to hold a session on Friday to discuss the resignation of party leader Zoran Zaev. The session was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but was postponed after the Government declared three days of national mourning due to the fatal bus accident in Bulgaria.

If the resignation is accepted, a procedure for electing a new party president begins. According to the Statute of the party, a deadline of 15 days is provided for announcing intra-party elections for a new president of SDSM. The elections are direct, by secret ballot for all registered members. As announced by Zaev himself, the new president should be the prime minister-designate of the new government. Unofficial names for a future prime minister are already circulating in the public.

Part of the SDSM membership does not support Zaev’s resignation announced after the local elections, when the party lost most of the mayoral seats.

Alternative’s Central Presidency is also meeting, which should decide whether to accept Zaev’s offer, the party to be part of the Government in the coming period.