Pristina, Kosovo – Kosovo’s ruling party, led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, is on track to secure a decisive victory in the early parliamentary elections held on Sunday. This outcome paves the way for the formation of a new government after a year of political deadlock that paralyzed the parliament and delayed crucial international funding.
Kurti’s left-leaning Vetëvendosje (Self-Determination Movement) party garnered approximately 49.4% of the votes after nearly all ballots were counted. This puts them within striking distance of an outright majority in what marks the second election in the Balkan nation this year.
The center-right Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) trailed in second place with 21% of the vote, followed by the center-left Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) with 13.6%. The conservative Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) secured 5.7%.
According to sources, the outgoing Prime Minister is likely to receive sufficient support from parties representing smaller ethnic minorities to ensure a governing majority in the parliament.
In a video message released after the publication of exit poll results, Kurti stated, “The will of the citizens is now represented in the ballot boxes. Preserving this will is essential for the legitimacy and credibility of the electoral process.” He also called on opposition parties to cooperate within the parliament for the benefit of the republic’s citizens.
Analysts suggest that it remains uncertain whether Kurti’s party will be able to form a government without a coalition that guarantees them 61 seats in the 120-seat parliament. Ismet Kryeziu, from the Kosovo Democratic Institute, noted that Kurti requires a few votes from minority parties to form the new government.
Under Kosovo’s parliamentary system, 20 seats in the 120-seat National Assembly are reserved for ethnic minority groups: 10 for Serbs and 10 for other minorities, including Bosniaks, Turks, and Roma.
Months of fruitless negotiations to form a governing coalition prompted President Vjosa Osmani to dissolve the parliament last November. The coming days will be crucial in determining the composition of the new government and the direction of Kosovo’s political landscape.
