Macedonian pro-Western, nationalist candidates tied in presidential vote

Ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia's candidate Stevo Pendarovski talks to the media after casting his vote for the presidential elections in Skopje, North Macedonia April 21, 2019. REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski

SKOPJE (Reuters) - Macedonia's pro-Western candidate, Stevo Pendarovski, and his main rival Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova emerged tied in the first round of presidential vote dominated by deep divisions over a change of the country's name to North Macedonia under a deal with Greece.

The change, which Greece demanded to end what it called an implied territorial claim on its northern province also called Macedonia, resolves a decades-old dispute and opens the door to Macedonian membership of NATO and the European Union.