CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE PARTY SYSTEM IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA-SITUATION AND PERSPECTIVES.

This paper aims to define and analyze the constitutional, legal and practical aspects of political parties through analyzing constitutional and legal norms as the main factors that determine the party system of the Republic of Macedonia. Political parties are the cornerstone of a democratic society and the modern democratic state. Without political parties, there can be no real political mobilization of citizens and articulation of the political interests and needs of the citizens, something that is expressed through the organization of the most important political institutions of one country-the Parliament and the Government. Therefore, the purpose of this paper to examine the influence of the competitive party and political offer of political parties in the development of the modern democracy of the Republic of Macedonia. The focus of this paper is the analysis of the constitutional framework of the party system of the Republic of Macedonia, which is defined by the country's constitution where political pluralism and free and democratic elections are foreseen as fundamental values of the constitutional order. Also, the constitution of the country guarantees the freedom of association, where it is determined that, citizens are guaranteed freedom of association to exercise and protect their political, economic, social, cultural and other rights and convictions. Citizens may freely establish associations of citizens and political parties join them or resign from them. The programs and activities of political parties and other associations of citizens may not be directed at the violent destruction of the constitutional order of the Republic, or at encouragement or incitement to military aggression or ethnic, racial or religious hatred or intolerance. Military or paramilitary associations which do not belong to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Macedonia are prohibited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]