Kosovo is holding early parliamentary elections on Sunday, December 28, the second round of legislative voting this year, after interim Prime Minister Albin Kurti's party failed to secure a majority in previous elections.
The early elections, called after months of failed negotiations to form a coalition
According to Reuters, cited by the European press, the “Self-Determination” Party (Vetëvendosje), led by Kurti, is again trying to obtain the necessary parliamentary majority to form a stable government. The early elections were called after months of failed coalition negotiations, which led Kosovo's president, Vjosa Osmani, to dissolve parliament in November.
Opposition groups have consistently refused to work with Albin Kurti, criticizing both his strained relationship with Western partners and his approach to northern Kosovo, a majority-Serb region marked by persistent ethnic tensions.
In an attempt to strengthen his electoral support, Kurti announced a series of economic and institutional promises, including the granting of an additional annual salary for public sector employees, the allocation of one billion euros annually for capital investment and the creation of a special prosecutor's office to fight organized crime.
For their part, the opposition parties focused the election campaign on raising the standard of living and overcoming the political deadlock that paralyzed state institutions in recent months.
Opinion polls are not published in Kosovo, so the outcome of the election remains difficult to predict. Many voters, however, say they are disappointed by the political class and its inability to reach a consensus.
Polling stations opened at 07:00 and will close at 19:00 local time.
Kosovo is in a prolonged political crisis, generated by the inability of the Self-Determination party to form a parliamentary majority and the refusal of all opposition formations to enter a coalition. The deadlock had direct consequences for the functioning of the state: Parliament failed to elect a president for months, preventing the installation of a full-powered government and the adoption of key budget decisions.
