North Macedonia Approves New Nationalist-Led Government

North Macedonia's parliament has approved a new nationalist-dominated government led by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski's VMRO-DPMNE party, with 77 lawmakers voting in favor out of 120. Mickoski, aiming to address citizens' needs, promised tax cuts, pension increases, and anti-corruption measures. The coalition government includes ethnic Albanian and leftist parties, aiming to advance the country's EU integration despite nationalist sentiments. Mickoski, securing parliamentary support, emphasized the country as 'Macedonia,' hinting at potential diplomatic tensions with neighbors like Bulgaria and Greece. The new government's formation follows Mickoski's victory in May's elections, where VMRO-DPMNE gained a significant majority, leading to a coalition agreement for ministerial positions among involved parties.