2018 Macedonian referendum

2018 Macedonian referendum

30 September 2018

Are you in favour of European Union and NATO membership by accepting the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece?
OutcomeProposal not validated as voter turnout was below 50%
Results
Choice
Votes %
Yes 609,427 94.18%
No 37,687 5.82%
Valid votes 647,114 97.11%
Invalid or blank votes 19,230 2.89%
Total votes 666,344 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 1,806,336 36.89%

Results by municipality

A referendum was held in the Republic of Macedonia on 30 September 2018, with voters asked whether they supported EU and NATO membership by accepting the Prespa Agreement between Macedonia and Greece, signed in June 2018, which aimed to settle the 27-year naming dispute,[1][2] which had prevented Macedonia from joining both the European Union and NATO.[3] Despite 94% of voters voting in favour, voter turnout was around 37%, less than the 50% threshold required to validate the results.[4]

Both the opposition and government claimed victory, with the opposition claiming that the proposal had been rejected by virtue of the low turnout and the government argued that the result being non-binding meant the turnout requirement was irrelevant. As the referendum was non-binding and included constitutional changes, it also had to be ratified by two-thirds of the Assembly of the Republic.[5] Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev vowed to push forward with the changes in the Assembly,[6] which was achieved on 19 October 2018, when 80 of the 120 MPs voted in favour of the renaming proposal, narrowly reaching the two-thirds majority required.

  1. ^ "Macedonia sets Sept. 30 for referendum on name deal with Greece". www.channelnewsasia.com. Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 29 September 2018.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Macedonia Sets 'Name' Referendum for September". www.balkaninsight.com. Balkan Insight. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Macedonia, Greece Sign 'Historic' Name Deal". www.balkaninsight.com. Balkan Insight. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Macedonia name referendum fails to reach turnout threshold: election commission". reuters.com. Reuters. 30 September 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  5. ^ "No Disputing Macedonia Is at a Watershed Moment – Analysis". www.eurasiareview.com. Eurasia Review. 23 September 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  6. ^ Sekularac, Ivana. "Macedonia leader vows to press on with name change despite..." Reuters. Retrieved 1 October 2018.

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