Kosovo is holding parliamentary elections for the second time in 11 months, as Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s left-wing nationalist Vetevendosje (Self-Determination Movement) seeks a clear majority to break a long-term political deadlock.
Snap elections were held on Sunday, following a vote in February, in which Vetevendosje emerged as the largest party but failed to win a parliamentary majority.
Months of failed coalition talks led President Vojosa Osmani to dissolve parliament in November and call early elections.
Since then, Kosovo’s legislature has been unable to agree on its leadership, leaving the body effectively paralyzed and unable to function.
Polling stations open at 07:00 (0600 GMT) and close at 19:00, with preliminary results and exit polls expected on Sunday evening.
High stakes for Kurti and the rivals
Kurti, who has ruled since 2021, is hoping for a decisive outcome similar to his 2021 victory, when he was able to form a government largely on his own. His reform agenda has yielded mixed results so far.
If Vetevendosje falls short of a majority again, there will be uncertainty over whether Kosovo’s main political parties will be willing to compromise to form a coalition government.
Opposition parties have repeatedly refused to rule with Kurti, criticizing his handling of relations with Western allies and his policies toward Kosovo’s ethnically divided north, where a Serb minority lives.
Kurti, in turn, has blamed the opposition for the current impasse.
Former finance minister and new head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Bedri Hamza has emerged as Kurti’s strongest rival.
Hamza blends nationalistic values with liberal economic policies advocating free markets, economic growth, a strong private sector, and social security.
Funding and institutional deadlines loom
Failure to form a government will prolong the crisis at a critical moment. Lawmakers must elect a new president in April and ratify loan agreements worth about €1 billion ($1.2 billion) with the European Union and the World Bank, which are set to expire in the coming months.
Kosovo also faces financial pressure following tensions with Serbia in 2023, which prompted the EU to impose sanctions.
The bloc has said it will lift the measures after ethnic Serbian mayors are elected in northern municipalities, although the sanctions are believed to have cost Kosovo hundreds of millions of euros.
Campaign promises and voter disillusionment
During the campaign, Kurti promised one extra month of pay per year for public sector workers, one billion euros annually in capital investment, and the creation of a new prosecution unit to tackle organized crime.
Opposition parties have also focused on promises to improve living standards. Opinion polls are not published in Kosovo, making the results uncertain. Many voters say they are disillusioned.
Edited by: Louis Olofse