(ANSA) - SKOPJE, DEC 13 - In North Macedonia, the ruling Social Democratic Party (SDSM) has elected Dimitar Kovacevski, current Deputy Minister of Finance, as its new leader. He takes over from Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who resigned after the party's defeat in local elections at the end of October.

Zaev, who remained at the head of the SDSM for eight years, had initially resigned from the government's leadership, a decision that he revoked shortly afterward, as his government survived a no-confidence motion brought by the conservative opposition by a few votes.

According to the vote's results held among the party members and announced late last night, Kovacevski won more than 37,000 votes, well ahead of his two opponents, Jovan Despotovski, who gained about 3,300 votes, and Frosina Remenski, with more than 2,800. (ANSA).