North Macedonia's ruling Socialists elect new leader

North Macedonia's ruling Socialists elected Dimitar Kovacevski as their new leader on Sunday evening after Prime Minister Zoran Zaev resigned following party losses in a second round of mayoral elections in several towns.

Zaev has not formally handed in his resignation as prime minister and has said he will continue in the job in order to avoid destabilisation in the country.

Once Zaev files his resignation to parliament, Kovacevski will be elected as prime minister as leader of the new coalition.

That is not likely to happen before January, however, when all parliamentary procedures have been completed. Kovacevski told North Macedonia's Sitel TV before he was elected that he would not mind if Zaev remained as prime minister until his term ends in 2024.

"As of tomorrow we must roll up our sleeves and get to work," Kovacevski said after he was elected.

An energy crisis, the coronavirus pandemic and a long dispute with neighbouring Bulgaria over the language which is blocking Macedonia's EU's aspirations are the most urgent issues facing the new government.

The country's biggest opposition party, the rightist VMRO-DPMNE, reelected Hristijan Mickoski as its leader on Sunday and has called for an early election following Zaev's resignation.