Interest groups in Macedonia: Growing pains in a strong party state

Abstract

This article examines the development of the interest group system in Macedonia since independence and the extent to which it has been able to exert any influence in the political arena. We show how security issues, slow economic development, and democratic deficits have impeded the development of an extensive interest group system able to compete freely in national politics. This has resulted in Macedonia having a bifurcated interest group system with influential power elites but low participation by citizens in formal interest groups. Despite this, there have been some diversification of the group system, restructuring of exiting associations, professionalization, and increased ability, especially that of citizens and social movements, to influence national politics. | THE FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MACEDONIA'S INTEREST GROUP SYSTEMAs a political system with a long history of authoritarian rule and a short experience with democracy, Macedonia's interest group system

Reforming Social Protection under Ideological Influences and Preferences. Social Protection Between Austerity and Other Reforms - The Case of North Macedonia

“…Research on interest groups and the role and power they have in influencing public policies is still insufficient in the country context. Some relevant works in this regard are Hristova (1995Hristova ( , 1997Hristova ( , 2000Hristova ( , 2008, Cekik (2015), Cekik and Hristova (2015), Klimovski et al (2016), Cekik and Hristova (2018). These texts, as well as others, point to the lack of research and data regarding the contribution of interest groups in the democratization processes of the country.…”