Alla impact stories
North Macedonian citizens’ demands become political commitments
In the year of 2025, our partner organisation NGO Info-centre mobilized more than 1100 residents across North Macedonia, amplifying their voices and strengthening citizen influence over political decision-making. As a result, municipal mayors committed to aligning their work with priorities defined by the citizens themselves.Many citizens in North Macedonia feel that solely contact with politicians rarely leads to real change. Ahead of the 2025 local elections, the Palme Center’s partner organisation, NGO Info-centre, therefore brought together over 1100 residents across six municipalities to formulate their priorities for their own local communities.
Through a structured process involving surveys, focus groups and public debates, citizens were given the opportunity to ask mayoral candidates directly how they intended to implement these demands. Post the election, the process was followed up with the newly elected mayors.
Citizens’ demands become political commitments
The result was a democratic breakthrough: in all six municipalities, the mayors signed formal cooperation agreements for the 2026–2029 term of office, in which they committed to working on the basis of the priorities formulated by the citizens themselves.
