Though violence marred Macedonia's snap election, a landslide victory for Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski has untied his hands as the country's leader, analysts said Monday.
The coalition led by Gruevski's VMRO-DPMNE party was expected to win an absolute majority with up to 64 seats in the 120-member assembly after Sunday's voting. The main rival, the Social Democratic Union, was humiliated, landing only 28 seats, according to preliminary results, reported dpa.
The outcome provides Gruevski, who called the elections in April two years early amid a parliamentary stalemate, with a powerful legislative platform to propel the Balkan country forward.
"The next government has a real chance to lead the country," said market analyst Petar Trpeski. "Gruevski's government will have continuity and can resume work quickly with minimum adjustments."
Though Gruevski expects the confirmation of a better-than-half majority in parliament, he is expected to forge a new alliance with a junior partner from the restive ethnic Albanian minority.
"It's certain, though we still don't have final results, that VMRO won an absolute majority," said Vladimir Misev, director of the Skopje-based Societas Civilis think tank. "Now they have a very strong position for negotiations with a partner from the Albanian political camp."
The bitter rivalry of two leading Albanian parties spurred violence within the minority that dominates the northwest of Macedonia, marring the campaign and particularly election day, when one man died and several others were wounded by gunfire.
A partial repeat of the vote was certain after shooting incidents forced the closure of two dozen polling stations in the Albanian part of Macedonia.
It depends on which Albanian party has the most votes in the end, Misev said.
If Gruevski's allies in the outgoing cabinet, the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA), close the gap to the opposition Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), a renewal of the old alliance is likely.
If DUI wins by far more votes, then Gruevski would have no choice but to forge a new partnership, replacing DPA with DUI.
In any case, though there is no legal requirement, there would be an Albanian party co-governing with VMRO-DPMNE, in order to instil calm into the restive 25-per cent minority and avoid the threat of volatile discontent like that which led to an insurgency in 2001, Misev said.
In the process, Gruevski would almost certainly iron out the international concern which swelled with the eruption of violence. Following that, any coalition of his would be powerful to govern without populism or blackmail.
"I'm a cautious optimist," said Trpeski. "Macedonia can have the support of the international community and I don't see bigger problems coming from the Albanian community."
He believes it be up to Gruevski's authorities to create a more favourable investment framework and unblock the country's international integration.
The next government is facing a formidable task, though with a decent starting point.
Macedonia's invitation to join NATO has already been printed, only not delivered, owing to a row over its name with neighbouring NATO and EU member Greece.
And although reforms were stalled since Macedonia won the status of a candidate for EU membership in 2005, a stable majority in parliament and four clear years ahead may provide a good basis for a faster reform pace - leaving the decision on the tempo only to the governing parties.
Gruevski himself hinted at being aware of the urgency already in the election night. "Tonight we celebrate, already tomorrow we go to work," he told a cheering crowd.