Kosovo’s leading party wins vote but government formation still unclear

Nationalist Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s party won more than half of the votes in Sunday’s election, opening the way to create a new government after a yearlong political deadlock that has paralysed parliament and delayed key international funding.

The vote is the second this year in Kosovo after Kurti’s Vetevendosje party (VV) fell short of a majority in February. Kurti’s party was leading with about 50 percent of Sunday’s vote, with 96 percent of votes counted.

“We must move forward as quickly as possible to establish institutions,” Kurti said after the preliminary results were published. “I invite opposition parties to cooperate in the Assembly for the interest of the citizens and people of the Republic.”

Analysts say it is difficult to predict if Kurti’s party will be able to form the government on its own ‍without a coalition to secure the 61 seats in the 120-seat assembly. The figures suggest that VV could secure about 56 seats.

“The results are not final, and I don’t see how Kurti will form the government alone, but it will be very easy for him to govern with a small coalition,” said Ismet Kryeziu from the Kosovo Democratic Institute think tank.

Kryeziu said that Kurti needs a few votes from minority parties to form the ‍new cabinet. The two main ⁠opposition parties, the Democratic Party and the Democratic League, were at 20.7 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

Failure to form a government and reopen parliament would prolong the crisis at a critical time. Lawmakers must elect a new president in April and ratify 1 billion euros ($1.2bn) in loan agreements from the European Union and ‍World Bank, which expire ⁠in the coming months.

The Balkan country’s opposition parties have refused to govern with Kurti, criticising his handling of ties with Western allies and his approach to Kosovo’s ethnically divided north, where a Serb minority lives.

Despite international support, the country of 1.6 million has struggled with poverty, instability and organised crime. Kurti’s tenure, which began ‌in 2021, was the first time a Pristina government completed a full term.

Local journalist Erjone Popova warned that the political deadlock is raising fears of another vote in 2026.

“We voted also for local election twice this year. This is the fourth time that people are voting this year in Kosovo, and maybe they are tired,” Popova told Al Jazeera.

“Kosovo has been facing many problems during the year it has had an acting government. Energy costs are high. Salaries have not increased enough, and this is making daily life of the people… very difficult.”

Tensions with Serbia

Kosovo, a semi-autonomous territory whose population is almost exclusively Albanian, declared independence from Serbia in 2008, following an uprising and NATO intervention in 1999.

It has been recognised by more than 100 countries, but not by Russia, Serbia, Greece or Spain. It is seen as a potential candidate for accession to the EU.

Tensions with Serbia flared in 2023, prompting the EU to impose sanctions on Kosovo.

The bloc said this month that it would lift them after ethnic Serb mayors were elected in northern municipalities, but the measures likely cost Kosovo hundreds of millions of euros.

Kosovo remains one of the poorest countries in Europe. It is one of the six Western Balkan countries striving to eventually join the EU, but both Belgrade and Pristina have been told they must first normalise relations.