President Gjorge Ivanov said he will entrust the task of forming Macedonia's new government to the party or the coalition which prove they have majority in parliament.
The president decided to ask for proof of majority after holding separate meetings on Wednesday with the leaders of the political parties which had won seats in parliament in the December 11 snap vote.
"Following the consultations, I wish to inform you that the mandate for forming the new government will be awarded to the party or the coalition of parties which will present me a proof that it has secured majority in parliament", Ivanov said in a statement published on the website of the president's office late on Wednesday. "In other words: a proof of majority first, then a mandate for forming a government, in line with Article 90 of the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia."
This article requires the head of state to ask the party or the coalition, which has secured majority in parliament, to form government within ten days after the inaugural session of parliament.
On January 9, Ivanov asked conservative VMRO-DPMNE, which won a close victory against Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) in December 11 early election, to form a new government. VMRO-DPMNE, however, failed to reach an agreement with ethnic Albanian party DUI on forming a coalition government after DUI requested an official status for Albanian language in Macedonia and extension of the mandate of the Special Prosecutor's Office. The deadline for VMRO-DPMNE to reach an agreement with potential government coalition partners expired on January 29.
VMRO-DPMNE controls 51 of 120 seats in parliament, while SDSM has 49. DUI has 10 seats, while the other three ethnic Albanian parties which entered parliament control 10 seats among themselves.
The early elections in December were part of a EU-brokered deal that aimed to resolve a protracted political crisis. The crisis began in January 2015, when opposition SDSM leader Zoran Zaev accused the coalition government of VMRO-DPMNE and DUI of corruption, illegal wiretapping of more than 20,000 people and covering-up a murder. In response, the government charged Zaev with attempting to destabilize the country.
According to Ivanov, the snap elections had failed to resolve the political crisis. On the contrary, now the crisis is entering a new phase, the president added.
Those who will form the new government should have two main priorities, Ivanov said. The first one is the protection of the country's interests, which includes preserving and strenghtening of the unitary character of the state, while the second one is a systemic reform which should also cover Macedonia's national security system.