Electronic Voting for the Diaspora: A Bridge to Emigrants or a Security Hole?
The prime minister called electronic voting for the diaspora a “red line” in the Electoral Code; the opposition and critics warn about security, secrecy of the vote and political motives.
Electronic voting for the diaspora is Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski’s “red line” in the amendments to the Electoral Code. On June 29 Parliament, with 59 votes in favor and 3 against, agreed to consider the amendments under a shortened procedure; the proposal provides for electronic voting for citizens abroad “modeled on France and Estonia.” Mickoski, according to Deutsche Welle, wants it to apply from the next presidential election. SDSM and Levica then filed about 13,000 amendments, and electronic voting remained the main point of contention; in July Mickoski said he was ready to accept a single electoral unit, but with an electoral threshold.
Supporters see it as a bridge to emigrants and a way to raise turnout. Critics note that independent studies, including from the University of Michigan, show that sophisticated malware could theoretically affect servers or voters’ devices. Internet voting takes place in an uncontrolled environment, which opens room for “family voting” and pressure from employers, with a risk to the secrecy of the vote. Racin.mk asks: “If electronic voting is safe for the diaspora, why isn’t it for citizens in Macedonia?” Critics of the government also claim that VMRO-DPMNE wants diaspora votes to make up for 160,000 voters it lost in the last local elections; that is criticism, not a proven motive.
Experiences differ: Estonia has used internet voting since 2005, while France used it for voters abroad but suspended it in 2017 for security reasons. The latest public reports we found are from July and do not confirm a final decision. The key questions remain technical and political: who will audit the system, how the secrecy of the vote will be protected, and whether there will be enough time to test it before elections.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 10, 2026
