Officials reported that voting was slow but peaceful

However, he failed to obtain the 50% needed to win outright, and will face a second round run-off.

The poll was held after former President Boris Trajkovski was killed in an air crash in February.

Ethnic tensions with the Albanian minority and the country's economic crisis were the major election issues.

Mr Crvenkovski's closest rival was Sasko Kedev, a fellow ethnic Macedonian, who garnered 34%.

PROVISIONAL RESULTS 1.7m votes cast Branko Crvenkovski: 331,000 Sasko Kedev: 267,000 Gezim Ostreni: 110,000 Zidi Xhelili: 64,000 Election guide Analysis: Macedonia's woes

Election officials reported that voting was relatively slow but peaceful, with a final turn-out of 55%.

International observers said they were generally satisfied with the voting, reporting only isolated irregularities.

Of the four candidates standing, the two ethnic Albanians were the ones eliminated in the first round.

A BBC correspondent in Skopje says that the key issue in the second round is which candidate the country's Albanian minority, who make up a quarter of the population, will support.

The second round will be held on 28 April.

Diplomatic role

Power in Macedonia resides mainly with the government but the president has an important diplomatic role to play.

The role of the head of state is seen as crucial in maintaining the delicate balance between the country's Macedonian majority and its ethnic Albanian community, the BBC's Nick Hawton reports from the capital Skopje.

Trajkovski's death threw the political system into turmoil and this election is regarded as a major step towards re-establishing the stability achieved after the end of the conflict between Macedonia's security forces and ethnic Albanian militants in 2001.

The late president brokered the deal which ended the fighting.

Our correspondent notes that many Macedonians are concerned that recent ethnic violence in neighbouring Kosovo might spill over the border but most see the economy as the key issue, with unemployment standing at 35%.

"These people want to live better," local pundit Saso Klekovski told AP news agency.

"They know they aren't going to reach that by killing each other."