On Sunday, December 28, Kosovo held parliamentary elections. The victory of the party led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti seemed almost certain, paving the way for the formation of a new government. However, the uncertainty remains whether the ruling party can win a majority of seats in the parliament.
For the past year, a political deadlock in the country has paralyzed the parliament, as reported by Reuters. This is the second election held in Kosovo this year. In February, the party led by Kurti, Vetevendosje, failed to secure a majority in the elections. After months of failed coalition negotiations, President Vjosa Osmani announced the dissolution of the parliament in November, calling for early elections.
With 87% of the votes counted, Kurti’s party Vetevendosje leads with a 50.2% vote share. Analysts find it difficult to predict whether Kurti can form a government independently without forming alliances. Vetevendosje needs to secure 61 out of the 120 seats to govern alone.
Exit polls conducted after the closing of polling stations showed Vetevendosje with a vote share of about 44%, significantly ahead of other parties.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) garnered around 27% of the votes, while the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) reached close to 16%.
Ismet Kryeziu from the Kosovo Democratic Institute stated, “The election results are not finalized yet. I believe Kurti will have a hard time forming a government alone, but he could easily govern with a small alliance.”
In a video speech released after the exit poll results, Kurti said, “The will of the citizens is reflected in the ballots. Safeguarding this will is crucial for the legitimacy and credibility of the election process.”
Failing to form a government again and restarting the parliament would prolong the crisis, as Kosovo is currently at a critical juncture. Members of the parliament must elect a new president by April next year and approve a loan agreement of €1 billion (approximately $1.2 billion) from the European Union and the World Bank, which will expire in the coming months.