Supporters of the ruling Social Democrat party have rallied behind their candidate as Macedonia prepares for Wednesday's presidential election. Favourite, current prime minister, Branko Crvenkovski, says he will withdraw from public life if he loses. The latest polls give him 21 per cent of the vote, ahead of his nearest rival at 13 per cent. Macedonia came close to civil war in 2001, and Crvenkovski is promising a peaceful and prosperous future which includes EU and Nato membership. His principal opponent is Sasko Kedev, a former heart surgeon. He may end up in a run-off vote if neither favourite grabs more than 50 per cent of the vote. Hoping to capture the imagination of Macedonia's half a million ethnic Albanians are two further presidential candidates. Analysts are keen to see what kind of support they can muster - and what that means for future government. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Current Macedonian prime minister and presidential candidate Branko Crvenkovski of Macedonia's ruling SDSM-Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, addresses a final pre-election rally in Stip, some 100 km south of Skopje, Monday April 12, 2004. (AP Photo/Srdjan Ilic)