ABSTRACT
In North Macedonia, the first ever popularly elected local democratic institutions were established in 1996. The local governance consists of 81 municipalities, supplemented by the voluntary submunicipal tier within all municipalities and voluntary institutions of intermunicipal cooperation. The local elections tend to be perceived as having a barometric function. This intermediate character of local elections substantially contributes to the dynamics of democracy in the country. They are interpreted as a popularity test of the sitting government or as a forecast of the upcoming parliamentary or presidential elections. Social structures within municipalities, like demographics, affect the turnout and impact the group share of voter turnout.
