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) - Early results of a presidential election in North Macedonia showed pro-Western candidate Stevo Pendarovski in first place, with 45 percent of the vote, the Central Election Commission website showed on Sunday.

His main rival, opposition candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, was in second place with 41 percent of the votes, preliminary results showed, based on 57 percent of ballots counted.

Blerim Reka, candidate of the second largest Albanian party Besa came third with 11.7 percent of the votes counted.

Pendarovski and Siljanovska-Davkova will face a run-off on May 5.