Kosovo's Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, declared victory for his centre-left Vetevendosje party in Sunday's parliamentary elections. Despite his confident claim, partial results indicate that the party falls short of a majority. With approximately 88% of the votes counted, Vetevendosje holds about 41% of the votes, translating to more than 40 seats in the 120-member parliament. The election results have been delayed due to technical issues with the Central Election Commission's counting system.
Kurti's popularity has surged due to his efforts to strengthen government control in the ethnic-Serb majority north of Kosovo. However, under Kosovo's constitution, 10 seats are reserved for the Serb minority, who have pledged not to cooperate with Kurti's party. This complicates the path to forming a stable government, as Kurti had previously secured over 50% of the vote in 2021 through a coalition.
"Our coalition will form our third government. It will continue the work. The people won, Vetevendosje won." – Albin Kurti, Kosovo's Prime Minister.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), founded by former guerrilla fighters of the Kosovo Liberation Army, is polling at 22%. Meanwhile, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) stands at 18%, and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) trails with 8%. The AAK leader, Ramush Haradinaj, expressed his intentions to form an opposition government to prevent Kurti's return to power.
"Looking forward to co-operating on the creation of an opposition government." – Ramush Haradinaj, AAK leader.
Kosovo's political landscape remains complex since its unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008. The LDK has campaigned fiercely on promises to join NATO and improve ties with the United States. The delay in official results has raised concerns about the electoral process's integrity, prompting President Vjosa Osmani to urge the commission to ensure every vote is accurately counted.
"We are proud of the campaign and the election day. We await the results, but already we have reason to be optimistic," – Vlora Citaku, deputy PDK leader.
The election results leave Vetevendosje short of a majority, potentially complicating Kurti's ambitions for a stable government. The remaining 10 seats in parliament are reserved for other minority ethnic groups, which have previously collaborated with Vetevendosje. However, forming a coalition may prove challenging under current circumstances.
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