Reducing political polarization as a prerequisite for EU accession: The case of North Macedonia

Abstract Political polarization remains one of the most persistent obstacles to democratic consolidation and EU integration in North Macedonia. Despite notable progress in aligning legal frameworks with the EU acquis, the country’s democratic institutions continue to suffer from deep-rooted partisan divides, weak institutional trust, and reform deadlock. This paper examines the causes and consequences of political polarization in North Macedonia, arguing that it undermines both domestic democratic resilience and the credibility of the EU accession process. It builds upon the theoretical framework of deliberative democracy especially the work of James Fishkin and the Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab that integrates empirical data from domestic civil society initiatives, including deliberative polling exercises conducted by the European Policy Institute (EPI). The analysis is based on the latest assessments from the European Commission, Freedom House, work of Western Balkans enlargement experts and local CSOs. Drawing on reports from 2024 and 2025, including the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report, the paper identifies polarization as both a democratic deficit and a strategic obstacle to enlargement. It concludes with concrete recommendations to embed deliberative practices in institutional processes, strengthen cross-party cooperation, and enhance public trust in the EU integration agenda.