Successive elections take a hit on Kosovo's coffers
Sunday's election in Kosovo — the third in under 16 months — is marked by a clash between former allies PM Albin Kurti and e
Sunday's election in Kosovo — the third in under 16 months — is marked by a clash between former allies PM Albin Kurti and e President Vjosa Osmani, deadlock in the dialogue with Serbia, and obstacles to EU integration. The current election campaign in Kosovo is marked not only by the usual competition between rival parties, but also by the disintegration of one of the most important political alliances in the country in recent years, that of Albin Kurti, the prime minister since 2021, and former President Vjosa Osmani. Osmani had the prime minister's support when she was elected president by the parliament of Kosovo in 2021. At the time, the two were seen as a motor for change and the fight against corruption in Kosovo. Now, they are rivals. No consensus in parliament When Osmani's term came to an end earlier this year, Kurti did not back her for a second term. Kurti has said that "the president should be a unifying and representative figure," and that, in his view, Osmani has political ambitions to become involved in a political party and seek direct support from voters. Sunday's snap general election was triggered when Kosovo's parliament failed for the second time to elect a new president Image: Valdrin Xhemaj/REUTERS Instead, the prime minister put forward candidates from his own party, Vetevendosje. But opposition lawmakers did not rally behind these candidates. Sunday's snap general election — Kosovo's third in just under 16 months — was triggered when Kosovo's parliament in April failed for the second time to elect a new president. Osmani is now running for parliament as a candidate for her former party, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). Speaking at an election campaign rally, she told supporters "You vote to decide whether Kosovo will be a state of its citizens or a state of only one man." Why did the Kurti-Osmani alliance sour?
"Kurti and Osmani are politicians with opposing ideological orientations, who were united for the political synergy of the moment, being perceived by citizens as the hope of change, especially against corruption," political analyst and journalism professor Arben Fetoshi told DW. Fetoshi went on to say that although the two differed on foreign policy and the subject of coordination with international partners, they did not have any major clashes during the four-year term of Kurti's government. The Vetevendosje party of Prime Minister Albin Kurti (pictured here) won 51% of the vote in the last election in December 2025 Image: Valdrin Xhemaj/REUTERS "Therefore, their rivalry in the current race mainly stems from the lack of support for Osmani's second mandate but does not exclude the personal dimension and ideological orientation of each," he said. Political stalemate Analysts say that for a country that is still trying to consolidate democratic institutions, move closer to the EU and advance dialogue with neighboring Serbia, the seemingly endless cycle of elections in Kosovo highlights another major problem, namely the inability of its political class to build institutional compromise. Kurti's Vetevendosje has won several elections since 2021, most recently getting 51% of the vote in the last election on December 28, about 30 percentage points ahead of its nearest rival, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). This has given Kurti a significant advantage over his political rivals. Political scientist Artan Muhaxhiri says that the large electoral gap between Kurti's Vetevendosje and opposition parties has created a new political imbalance in which neither side is able to push through solutions. He cautions that if the results of this election do not produce major changes, the current stalemate may continue. Impact on foreign relations The consequences of the current situation are not limited to domestic politics.
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