On Sunday, Kosovan voters headed to the polls for early parliamentary elections—the third in 18 months—aiming to resolve the political stalemate in the small Balkan nation that is striving to join the European Union and NATO.
The election was called after political parties failed to reach an agreement on who would replace former President Vjosa Osmani before a March deadline. An inconclusive vote in February 2025 left the country without a functioning government for most of last year, necessitating a second election in December.
The prolonged crisis has negatively affected Kosovo's economy, which was already hit hard by the global energy crisis and rising fuel prices. Kosovo is one of Europe's youngest and poorest countries, having declared independence from Serbia in 2008 following the 1998-1999 war, which ended with a NATO bombing campaign that forced Serbia to withdraw its troops.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti's centre-left Vetevendosje party has held a clear majority in parliament since the early elections in December. However, the president of Kosovo is elected by at least 80 deputies in the 120-member parliament, requiring broader political consensus.
Mr. Kurti is being challenged by two main opposition parties—the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo—who accuse him of seeking to control all of the country's political institutions. Former President Osmani is running on the opposition LDK list after turning against Mr. Kurti over his failure to support her re-election.
While the parties blame each other for the crisis, the failure to reach a compromise has frustrated some two million Kosovan voters, who want the government to focus on the economy and living standards rather than political issues. Analysts do not expect this election to yield a significantly different result from the vote in December.
The institutional vacuum and lack of a stable government have slowed Kosovo's access to EU and international funds. European Council President Antonio Costa, during a visit last week, urged Kosovo to end the political stalemate and unite behind the goal of EU integration.
Kosovo has been recognized by the United States and most EU countries, but not by Serbia and its allies Russia and China. Tensions remain high in northern Kosovo, where the ethnic Serb minority is concentrated, and both Pristina and Belgrade are required to improve relations to advance in the EU accession process.
