CONSENSUAL (MULTIPARTY–NORTHERN EUROPEAN TYPE) PARLIAMENTARY MODEL AND CONSENSUS DEMOCRACY: THE NORTH MACEDONIAN EXPERIENCE

Abstract

This paper analyses the compatibility of the government system of the Republic of North Macedonia with the consensus parliamentary democracy model developed by Arend Lijphart from a legal and political perspective. Our hypothesis is that the constitutional and institutional structure of North Macedonia largely bears the characteristics of a consensus parliamentary system; however, due to the lack of a fully established democratic political culture and ethnic/ideological polarizations, it has not been able to fully reach the consensus parliamentary model. Accordingly, our thesis is that the electoral system, multi-party structure, and mechanisms such as the double majority (Badinter) principle that ensure the participation of minorities in the political process in North Macedonia theoretically bring the country closer to consensus parliamentarism; however, in practice, it has not been able to fully realize this model due to political polarization and lack of democratic culture. The article consists of four sections. In the first section, the classification and basic criteria of the parliamentary system are evaluated in the light of classical and modern approaches. In the second section, the conciliatory parliamentary government model and its basic features are analyzed based on Arend Lijphart's criteria. In the third section, the current state of the legislative and executive mechanisms in North Macedonia is examined within the framework of the 1991 Constitution and the 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement. In the last section, the conformity of the country's government system to the conciliatory parliamentary model is evaluated according to Lijphart's criteria, and the strengths and weaknesses are discussed.