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Democratic Union for Integration

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Democratic Union for Integration
Демократска унија за интеграција
Bashkimi Demokratik për Integrim
LeaderAli Ahmeti
FoundedJune 2002; 22 years ago (2002-06)
HeadquartersSkopje, North Macedonia
IdeologyAlbanian minority interests[1]
Pro-Europeanism[2]
Green politics[3]
Political positionCentre-left[4]
European affiliationSocialists, Democrats and Greens Group
Colours  Blue
  Yellow
Macedonian Parliament
15 / 120
Mayors
10 / 81
Website
www.bdi.mk

The Democratic Union for Integration (Macedonian: Демократска унија за интеграција, ДУИ, romanized: Demokratska unija za integracija, DUI, Albanian: Bashkimi Demokratik për Integrim, BDI) is the largest ethnic Albanian political party in North Macedonia and the third largest political party in the country. It was formed immediately after the country's 2001 armed conflict between the National Liberation Army (NLA) and Macedonian security forces. NLA leader Ali Ahmeti has been the party's president ever since.

History

In the 2002 parliamentary election, the party won 12.1% of the popular vote (70% of the Albanian vote) and 16 of 120 seats.[5]

From 2002 to 2006, it was part of the ruling coalition along with the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) and the Liberal Democratic Party. In the 2006 parliamentary election, the party formed a coalition with the Party for Democratic Prosperity and the Democratic League of Bosniaks. This coalition received 12.2% of the vote and 16 seats. Although DUI won the most seats among ethnic Albanian parties (13), since their governmental partners lost the election, it was not invited by newly elected Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski to participate in the government. Its place was taken by the second-largest ethnic Albanian political party, the Democratic Party of the Albanians. However, after the 2008 early parliamentary election, the party returned to the government in a coalition with Gruevski's VMRO-DPMNE.

In the 2011 parliamentary election, DUI received 10.2% of the total vote, winning 15 seats, a loss of 3 seats from the previous election.[6] DUI had the best election result in the 2014 parliamentary election when it received 153,646 votes (14.2%), winning 19 seats, and had the worst result in the next election in 2016, receiving 86,796 votes (7.5%). In 2016, DUI entered the government in a coalition with SDSM.

In the campaign for the 2020 parliamentary election, DUI made its participation in any coalition contingent on the nominee for Prime Minister being an ethnic Albanian, which both SDSM and VMRO-DPMNE have refused. On 18 August, SDSM and DUI announced that they had reached a deal on a coalition government as well as a compromise on the issue of an ethnic Albanian Prime Minister. Under the deal, SDSM leader Zoran Zaev will be installed as Prime Minister, and will serve in that position no later than 100 days from the next parliamentary elections. At that time, DUI will propose an ethnic Albanian candidate for Prime Minister, and if both parties agree on the candidate, that candidate will serve out the remaining term until the elections.[7][8]

On World Environment Day in 2021, Ahmeti announced the party will focus more on environmental issues, citing Greta Thunberg's activism as inspiring the party's new direction.[3]

Election results

Parliament

Year Vote Vote % Seats Place Govt?
2002 144,913 12.1 16 3rd Yes
2006 114,301 12.2 13 3rd No
2008 126,522 12.8 18 3rd Yes
2011 115,092 10.2 15 3rd Yes
2014 153,646 14.2 19 3rd Yes
2016 86,796 7.5 10 3rd Yes
2020 104,699 11.48 15 3rd Yes

Controversy

Skopje Fortress incident

After the foundations of a 13th-century church were found by a governmentally funded excavation within the Skopje Fortress complex, the Cultural Heritage Protection Office actioned a project to restore it in the form of a church museum. The DUI requested the government to halt construction in early 2011, which was ignored. Two weeks later, just under a hundred DUI supporters converged on the site on 11 February 2011, among them three high-ranking ethnic Albanian ministers and some damaged part of the scaffolding.[9]

References

  1. ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2020). "North Macedonia". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  2. ^ "North Macedonia". Europe Elects. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Largest Ethnic Albanian Party in North Macedonia Goes Green". Exit News. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  4. ^ Pankovski, Marco; Jovevska–Gjorgjevikj, Aleksandra; Janeska, Sara; Ilievska, Martina; Mladenovska, Simona (2020). The Republic of North Macedonia's 2020 Parliamentary Elections Handbook (PDF) (Report). Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Institute for Democracy "Societas Civilis" Skopje. p. 73. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  5. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1278 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  6. ^ "Conservative Leader Claims 3rd Term in Macedonia". NPR. 6 June 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2011.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "N. Macedonia: Pro-Western party secures coalition deal". AP News. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  8. ^ Marusic, Sinisa Jakov (18 August 2020). "Zoran Zaev to Lead North Macedonia's Government Again". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  9. ^ "100 DUI Activists Try to Bring Down Church at Kale Fortress". Macedonian International News Agency. 11 February 2011. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
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