PM Kurti's ruling party wins Kosovo snap election with 50% of votes

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti's party secured a commanding victory in snap parliamentary elections Sunday, preliminary results showed, positioning him for another term in office.

Kurti's Vetevendosje or Self-Determination party (LVV) won approximately 50% of votes, substantially ahead of two centre-right parties, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) with 21% and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) with nearly 14%, according to state election authorities after counting nearly all ballots.

"Congratulations on the biggest victory in the history of the country," Kurti said after results were announced. "Now we have a lot of work ahead of us."

Sunday's election followed a 10-month political deadlock after LVV won the most votes in a 9 February election but failed to form a government, marking the first time Kosovo has failed to establish a government since declaring independence from Serbia in 2008.

It remained unclear whether the party secured 61 seats in the 120-member parliament needed to govern alone. Kurti said parliament and government formation would proceed as quickly as possible.

"We don't have time to lose and must move forward together as quickly as possible," he said.

Hundreds of supporters gathered outside party offices in Pristina chanting Kurti's name in celebration.

Turnout reached approximately 44% of Kosovo's 1.9 million eligible voters, state election authorities said.

Under Kosovo's election laws, 20 parliamentary seats are automatically reserved for ethnic Serb representatives and other minority parties.

Opposition parties decry 'gloom, deadlock, division'

Kosovo has not approved a budget for next year, raising concerns about the economy in the country of 2 million people. Parliament is also scheduled to elect a new president in March as current President Vjosa Osmani's mandate expires in early April.

Opposition parties have accused the 50-year-old Kurti of authoritarianism and alienating Kosovo's US and EU allies since taking power in 2021. Kurti also briefly served as prime minister in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

LDK candidate Lumir Abdixhiku urged voters earlier Sunday to "move away from the gloom, the deadlock and the division that has accompanied us for these years."

Kurti has taken a hardline position in EU-mediated talks on normalising relations with Belgrade, prompting the 27-member bloc and Washington to impose punitive measures. He has pledged to purchase military equipment to strengthen security.

Tensions with ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo erupted in clashes in 2023 when dozens of NATO-led peacekeepers were injured. Ethnic Serb mayors took power peacefully this month following municipal elections.

Kurti agreed to accept third-country migrants deported from the US under President Donald Trump's immigration measures. One migrant has arrived, authorities said.

Kosovo has one of Europe's poorest economies. The country is one of six Western Balkan nations seeking EU membership, but Kosovo and Serbia have been told they must first normalise relations.

Unlike the other five, which have achieved candidate country status, Kosovo remains a potential candidate for membership in the bloc.