Global Elections Update: Kosovo

Overview

On February 9, Kosovo held parliamentary elections to elect 120 members of the Assembly. This marks the first time since its independence in 2008 that Parliament has completed a full four-year term. The 2025 campaign focused on the economy, corruption, and normalization talks with Serbia, which does not recognize Kosovo’s independence. The European Union has mediated dialogue to help both nations reach an agreement, protect Serbian minorities in Kosovo, and progress toward EU membership. Tensions persist in the northern Serb-majority municipalities, where Kosovo’s government has attempted to assert control and has faced resistance. The European Union and the United States have expressed concerns over policies affecting ethnic Serbs, leading to the suspension of some aid to Kosovo. The ruling Lëvizja Vetëvendosje (Self-Determination Movement) party (LVV), led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, aims to dismantle the remaining Serbian institutions in Kosovo. Last year, Kurti banned Serbian transactions and the use of the Serbian dinar in Kosovo, risking renewed ethnic conflicts. Under his leadership, negotiations with Serbia have stalled, and ties with the U.S. and the EU have deteriorated.

Results

The ruling LVV party declared victory in the parliamentary election with approximately 42% of the vote. This result falls short of the majority needed to form a government independently. The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) received about 22.68%, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) 17.9%, and the Alliance for Kosovo’s Future 7.56%. Although it failed to secure a parliamentary majority, Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced that his party would try to form a coalition with other parties to establish a cabinet.

Outlook

The coalition government negotiations face challenges as PDK and LDK have publicly rejected partnering with Prime Minister Kurti due to his nationalist stance. Tensions between parties have also worsened following Kurti’s pre-election remarks, in which he ruled out working with the opposition and called them “thieves.” A coalition could help moderate Kurti’s nationalist policies toward the Serb community and ease ethnic tensions. Regardless of the party coalition, Kurti will seek to restore ties with the U.S. and the EU, Kosovo’s primary financial backers, as the country struggles with education, healthcare, and poverty.