The nationalist “Self-Determination” (Vetëvendosje) party, led by interim Prime Minister Albin Kurti, clearly won the early elections in Kosovo by collecting 49% of the votes, with 93.43% of the ballots counted, according to the Central Electoral Commission.
In second place is – with this level of control – the opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) with 21%, followed by the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) with 13.9% and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) with 5.8%.
This result means that “Self-Determination” will improve its results compared to the February elections, where it had totaled 42.3%, while the opposition in general saw its support reduced.
Twenty seats are reserved for ethnic minorities from the former Serbian province, which proclaimed its independence in February 2008, including ten for Kosovo Serbs and the rest for others, such as Roma and Bosniaks.
Kosovo has been plunged into political paralysis since February, when the ruling nationalist party lost the absolute majority it had secured in 2021 and failed to gain the support of any other forces to form a government.
The distribution of seats in Parliament will be key to knowing whether “self-determination” is now close to an absolute majority and can govern with the support of minority MPs, with the exception of Kosovo Serbs.
“In this situation, all scenarios are possible. The country could even hold new early elections in April,” analyst Berat Buzhall told Klan Kosova television.
The Central Election Commission estimated turnout at 45%, two points less than in February, and assured that the vote took place without major incidents.
These are the seventh parliamentary elections held in Kosovo since its unilateral independence, a decision that was recognized neither by Serbia nor by five European Union (EU) states: Spain, Romania, Greece, Slovakia and Cyprus.
The vote comes amid increased tensions with Serbia since 2021 and Kurti’s friction with the European Union (EU) and the United States, Kosovo’s main allies, a factor that contributed to its inability to find government partners.
Brussels and Washington consider that Kurti’s authoritarian policy aimed at reducing Belgrade’s influence over Kosovo’s Serb minority increases tensions and also criticize him for not creating a promised community of Serbian municipalities, with a certain autonomy.
The EU hopes for a government willing to reactivate the normalization dialogue with Belgrade, a condition for Serbia and Kosovo to progress on the path to integration into the community bloc.
In 2023, the European Commission imposed diplomatic sanctions and froze funds for Kosovo, but the president of the community executive, Ursula von der Leyen, promised this month that financial aid would resume.
But if parliament fails to form a government, Kosovo risks losing access to funds from the EU’s growth plan for the Western Balkans, worth 6 billion euros, since its disbursement is conditional on the implementation of reforms.
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