With 15 percent of the votes in Skopje counted, Danela Arsovska has a lead of about 1,000 votes ahead of SDSM’s Petre Silegov in the important mayoral race that will likely of the vote against 35 for Silegov.

Of the protest candidates, Petar Georgievski – Kamikaza ranked third, with about 8 percent of the vote. Endorsements from candidates like Georgievski and the green candidate Ana Petrovska could influence the outcome of the race, as will the endorsements of the Albanian parties, who likely delivered their votes in the first round as well. SDSM has a coalition agreement with DUI and BESA in Skopje, while Arsovska, as candidate supported by VMRO-DPMNE, also counts on the help from the Alliance of Albanians and Alternative.

During the pre-election debates, the protest candidates ganged up against Silegov. After the elections, one of them, Beni Shaqiri, a singer close to SDSM who loudly supported the SDSM led Colored Revolution, said that he will not support Silegov in the second round.