SDSM. At present SDSM is the largest and the most powerful political party, the resources of which- particularly financial resources and influence in all spheres and areas - perhaps exceed those of the Government itself. Of course, this all has been a heritage of the former communist party, which has ruled the state continuously for a period of almost sixty years. In the period around the election of a party leader “groups and teams” crystallized, which were divided with regard to the personality to be elected as a leader. Stratification within that party and processes similar to the above-mentioned are possible. Particularly, if the counter-position of Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx is taken into consideration with regard to the official party position concerning the referendum, as well as concerning the general party policy. Until now, it has been protected from serious factional disintegrations only by strongly developed consciousness for membership affiliation and attachment to a special ideological matrix, and maybe the perception for belonging to a special social stratum. This is the source of arrogance of this party, for which it has been accused all the time, indicating it as a cause for the party degradation. On the other hand, the tendency to extreme pragmatism (where the party evaluates that there are conditions for taking the power) is another characteristic of SDSM. This explains also (besides the suggestions from abroad) the decision of the party to enter into a coalition with DSI under the conditions of general dissatisfaction and national disappointment. If in the Cold War era, communism was the main enemy of the liberal democracy, today, after the end of this era, the enemies are nationalism and religious fundamentalism. SDSM, though it is a successor of the former communist party succeeded to present itself before the world, before the West as a party distant from the two modern enemies of the liberal democracy. This transforms it into an acceptable political partner of the Macedonian politics in the relations with the west. And this element of the party politics is part of what we defined as “a winning combination”. While at the time of “the Gligorov era” SDSM considered binding of the country with the United States as a necessary conforming with “those in authority” and using the position of the powerful partner for promotion of the young state, as well as ensuring the legitimacy of the then- governments, currently the pro-American orientation of the party h...
