EditKurti secures dominant mandate as his party consolidates power in Kosovo elections
Ruling party falls just short of an outright majority but can govern with minority backing, while opposition faces deep internal reckoning
Lëvizja Vetëvendosje party (Self-Determination Movement), led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, has emerged as the clear winner of Kosovo’s parliamentary elections, recording its strongest result since the party’s creation and cementing its dominance in the new legislature. With around 95-96% of polling stations counted, Vetëvendosje secured just under 50% of the vote and 56 seats in the 120-seat parliament, putting it within reach of forming a government with the support of minority representatives alone.
Under Kosovo’s electoral system, 20 seats are reserved for minority communities, including 10 for the Serb community. As an absolute majority requires 61 seats, Kurti’s party does not need the backing of Albanian opposition parties if the final results, including postal votes and ballots from diplomatic missions, confirm current projections.
The outcome marks a net gain for Vetëvendosje, which increased its parliamentary representation by eight seats compared to the previous election. By contrast, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) won around 21% of the vote and 23 seats, losing one seat overall. The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) suffered the heaviest losses, dropping from 20 seats to 15, while the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) secured six seats, down from eight when it previously ran in coalition with Nisma.
Kurti was quick to frame the result as historic, calling it “the biggest electoral victory in the history of Kosovo” and portraying the vote as a clear mandate for continuity and political stability. He said that once the results are formally certified, his priority would be the rapid formation of new institutions and the continuation of the government’s agenda.
In particular, Kurti highlighted the importance of unlocking international financial support, pointing to an €880 million European Union development plan and three agreements with the World Bank worth a combined €120 million. Together, these packages would push expected external financing beyond €1 billion, but require parliamentary ratification within tight deadlines. Kurti also extended an invitation to opposition parties to cooperate in parliament, especially on international agreements and initiatives deemed to be in the public interest.
The vote follows a year-long political deadlock that paralysed Kosovo’s parliament after Kurti’s party fell short of a majority in February. Failed coalition talks led President Vjosa Osmani to dissolve parliament and call an early election. According to Reuters, Vetëvendosje was leading with just over 50% of the vote when 87% of ballots were counted on election night, though analysts cautioned that governing alone would still be difficult without at least limited coalition support.
Ismet Kryeziu of the Kosovo Democratic Institute noted that while the final results were not yet confirmed, Kurti would need only minimal backing from Albanian or minority parties to form a cabinet, making governance comparatively straightforward despite the absence of a formal coalition.
For the opposition, the election triggered a period of introspection, particularly within the LDK. Party leader Lumir Abdixhiku publicly accepted responsibility for the poor result and announced plans to convene the party congress to assess both political and leadership accountability. He did not rule out resigning, describing the outcome as a “moment of reflection” and stressing that “when citizens speak, leaders must listen.” Abdixhiku nevertheless congratulated Kurti on his victory, underscoring that “the state is above everyone” and expressing hope that the new government would meet public expectations.
Beyond party politics, the vote carries broader implications for Kosovo’s international position. Lawmakers must elect a new president in April and ratify EU and World Bank loan agreements that are set to expire in the coming months. Another failure to form a government could have prolonged institutional paralysis at a critical moment.
Kurti’s relationship with Western partners has been a point of contention, with opposition parties criticising his handling of ties with the EU and the United States, particularly over tensions in Kosovo’s Serb-majority north. Those tensions led the EU to impose sanctions in 2023, which the bloc has since said it will lift following local elections in northern municipalities, though the measures are believed to have cost Kosovo hundreds of millions of euros.
Turnout stood at around 45%, according to preliminary figures. While Vetëvendosje’s victory delivers Kosovo a period of relative political stability, it also raises expectations at home and abroad that the new government will quickly translate its strong mandate into institutional consolidation, economic progress and the unblocking of crucial international support.
Sources: IBNA, Reuters
Caption: Acting Prime Minister and leader of Vetevendosje party Albin Kurti addresses the media after voting at a polling station, in Pristina, Kosovo, 28 December 2025. Citizens are voting in snap parliamentary elections called to break a months-long political stalemate after the previous elections in February 2025 failed to produce a governing coalition. EPA/GEORGI LICOVSKI
Updated: December 29, 2025 - 04:22
