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CONSTITUTION AND POLITICAL OPPOSITION IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA: EXPECTATIONS AND DILEMMAS

Jeton Shasivari

Abstract

This paper aims to define and analyze the theoretical and practical legal framework of the political opposition, through analyzing constitutional norms, political culture and political dialogue as the main factors determining the state and perspectives of the political opposition in the Republic of Macedonia. Political pluralism is the opposite of monism and represents the idea of a peaceful common life of people with different interests, beliefs and lifestyles, recognizing the existing diversity of political interests and attitudes. The defining characteristic of the political opposition is that it is not in power, and that it opposes those who are. The political opposition then consists of those political parties that are represented in parliament, but not in government. The rule of law in any democratic society must ensure equal status between political parties in government and political parties that are not in government. Political opposition, manifested through political parties, is presented as a subject of study of Constitutional Law. Although the political opposition does not represent a regular constitutional category and is not subject to constitutional regulation, however, constitutions of democratic countries provide the rights guaranteed to the political opposition, or in other words, the legal mechanisms through which the opposition can replace power. In this regard, although the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia does not explicitly mention the political opposition in the constitutional text, it still guarantees its proper juridical-constitutional position, i.e. numerous rights for its action, such as: the right to political organization, the right to initiate different procedures, the rights of information, representation and participation, speaking and voting rights, the right to table bills and motions, the rights of supervision and scrutiny of the executive, and protection against mistreatment by the majority, up to the procedure of amending the constitution. In addition to the role and impact of constitutional norms on political opposition, the aim of the research is to examine the influence of political culture in terms of constructive co-operation between power and the political opposition regarding the election and appointment of officials of the institutions, which is not based on the narrow interests of power, enabling the political opposition to chair the most important parliamentary committees to successfully carry out the power control function. However, this, on the other hand, can be seen as a loss of ideological identity of the political opposition, especially in the Republic of Macedonia, where it tends to approach the new course of Prime Minister Zaev's reformist government, factually the political opposition is leaving its voters because it does not play the role of the critical alternative of the current government.

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