Macedonia's main opposition party has called for early national elections in March, amid ongoing fallout from a rowdy budget debate.

The main opposition Social Democrats proposed Wednesday that the Parliamentary elections be held together with scheduled local elections about two years before the conservative government's mandate expires.

The governing VMRO party is due to formally respond to the opposition demand following weekend deliberations.

But Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska on Wednesday noted the opposition "has six times in row suffered a catastrophic defeat ... from (Macedonia's) citizens who did not accord them their confidence."

The opposition has boycotted Parliament since the Christmas Eve budget debate, which was marred by clashes between rival lawmakers and supporters. The Social Democrats are angry because their lawmakers were expelled from the debate.