PRISTINA, Kosovo — Preliminary election results indicate that Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s political faction secured a victory in Kosovo’s parliamentary vote on Sunday. However, his party, the leftist Self-Determination Movement Party (Vetevendosje!), did not achieve the majority required to govern independently. This development coincides with ongoing stalled discussions aimed at normalizing relationships with Serbia, and doubts have emerged regarding the availability of foreign financial support for one of Europe’s less affluent nations.
With 73% of the ballots tallied, the Self-Determination Movement garnered approximately 41.99% of the votes, leaving an opportunity for rival parties to potentially unite should Kurti struggle to establish a government. These opposition parties include the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), currently facing issues as some of its leaders are detained at an international tribunal in The Hague over allegations of war crimes, which received about 22.68% of the votes. The more traditional Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), which has seen a decline in support since the passing of its leader Ibrahim Rugova in 2006, followed closely with 17.9%. The Alliance for Kosovo’s Future, represented by former prime minister Ramush Haradinaj, garnered 7.56%.
Kurti declared, “The people have won. Vetevendosje! has emerged victorious and will be forming the next Cabinet,” while addressing jubilant supporters. Voting concluded at 7 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) “without incidents that would jeopardize its integrity,” according to Valmir Elezi of the Central Election Commission. The commission experienced temporary technical difficulties on its website, which was overloaded as many citizens tried to access the ongoing results.
Preliminary data suggested a voter turnout of 40.59% after counting 92% of the ballots, marking a 7% decrease compared to the last elections held four years ago. Campaigning parties made wide-ranging promises to elevate public wages and pensions, enhance education, bolster healthcare services, and combat poverty. Nonetheless, they provided little detail regarding the funding sources or strategies to attract increased foreign investments.
The relationship with Serbia remains a significant concern. Kurti’s administration has faced criticism from Western allies due to actions that have heightened tensions with Serbia and its ethnic Albanian population. Notably, Kelti’s administration imposed a ban on the use of the Serbian currency and restricted financial transactions from Serbia to Kosovo’s ethnic Serbs, who rely on Belgrade for social services. The U.S., European Union, and NATO-led KFOR have collectively urged the Pristina government to avoid unilateral moves to prevent a resurgence of ethnic conflict.
This election marks the first instance since Kosovo’s declaration of independence in 2008 wherein the parliament has concluded a full four-year term. It is also the ninth parliamentary election since the conclusion of the 1998-1999 conflict involving Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian rebels, which led to the withdrawal of Serbian troops following a NATO air campaign. Serbia still does not recognize Kosovo’s independence.
The outcome of this election will influence negotiations with Serbia, which have faced setbacks once again over the past year. Some financial aid has been temporarily ceased; for instance, the EU has paused funding for specific initiatives until Kosovo takes steps to reduce tensions in the north, primarily inhabited by the Serbian minority. Furthermore, Washington has implemented a 90-day delay on funding through the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has been instrumental in driving Kosovo’s development.
With around 2 million eligible voters, the election involves the selection of 120 lawmakers from a pool of 1,280 candidates representing 27 political groups, with one independent candidate in the mix. Kosovo’s parliament includes 20 reserved seats for minorities, including 10 allocated for the Serb community.
Kurti encouraged all citizens to participate in shaping the next four years when he cast his vote, emphasizing civic duty. Sporadic violent incidents were reported, with eight individuals detained for allegedly trying to influence voting behavior. However, police noted that the overall electoral process proceeded smoothly without major disturbances.
Voting for Kosovars living overseas commenced on Saturday at 43 diplomatic missions, with about 20,000 members of the diaspora of nearly 100,000 casting their ballots, while others voted by mail.
Despite the importance of negotiations with Serbia for regional stability, it did not receive much emphasis in any party’s election platform. “What can we do? This is our home, and our heritage lies here. It’s essential to be optimistic. We need to vote; it’s our obligation,” stated Mileva Kovacevic, a Serbian inhabitant of northern Mitrovica.
Kosovo, housing a population of 1.6 million, ranks among Europe’s poorest nations, with an annual GDP of under 6,000 euros per capita. KFOR has increased its presence in the region days before the election amid rising tensions with Serbia.
An international team consisting of 100 EU observers, 18 from the Council of Europe, and approximately 1,600 others from various organizations, will supervise the electoral process.
