Macedonia's political impasse.
Since February 27, thousands of Macedonians have protested daily in Skopje against Social Democrat (SDSM) leader Zoran Zaev's alleged acquiescence with demands for transforming Macedonia into a binational state. His would-be ethnic Albanian coalition partners outlined this in a joint platform adopted in January, with the mediation of Albanian government officials in Tirana. On March 1, President Gjorge Ivanov refused to give Zaev a mandate to form the next government, claiming that the constitution and his conscience prevented him because Zaev was working for a foreign power to destroy Macedonia's sovereignty and integrity.
The caretaker government's mandate has in effect expired and a non-functioning parliament cannot schedule local elections due in late March.
Macedonia's Albanian parties have taken a reckless gamble that has allowed a discredited VMRO-DPMNE to regain the initiative.
By overplaying their hand, the Albanians have undermined efforts to form an SDSM-led coalition.
A promising de-ethnicisation of the vote in December has been replaced by renewed ethnic polarisation.
