Kosovo’s snap parliamentary election of 2025 has delivered a decisive victory for Vetevendosje, after months of institutional paralysis. Preliminary results with nearly all ballots counted show the left-wing movement securing just over half of the vote, positioning Prime Minister Albin Kurti for a third term while still falling short of governing alone.
The outcome follows a turbulent year in which Kosovo lacked a fully functioning government. After the February election produced no clear majority, prolonged coalition talks collapsed, parliament stalled, and President Vjosa Osmani dissolved the assembly, triggering a rare second vote in the same year. Voters were effectively asked to judge whether responsibility for the deadlock lay with Kurti or with opposition parties that declined to join his cabinet.
The electorate appears to have opted for continuity. Vetevendosje emerged far ahead of its rivals, while the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) placed second with around one-fifth of the vote. The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) trailed behind. The result confirms Vetevendosje’s dominance since 2021, marking its fourth consecutive parliamentary win.
Although the party is short of an outright majority, Kosovo’s constitutional framework reserves 20 of the 120 seats for ethnic minority representatives. Support from these MPs could allow Kurti to form a government without relying on the main Albanian opposition, though negotiations remain essential.
Speaking after the vote, Kurti said the result represented “the greatest victory in the history of the country” and urged rivals to cooperate once results are certified. Opposition figures signalled cautious acceptance of the outcome, with some acknowledging that the scale of the mandate cannot be ignored.
Beyond domestic politics, the stakes are high. Kosovo has been unable to access hundreds of millions of euros in delayed EU funds, and loan agreements with the World Bank and European institutions, worth more than €1bn, require parliamentary approval. Relations with the European Union and the United States have also been strained, particularly over policies affecting the Serb-majority north and the stalled Serbia dialogue.
Voters appear to have evaluated these challenges in light of their dissatisfaction with the alternatives offered by the opposition. Whether the new mandate would translate into stability now depends on coalition-building and Kosovo’s ability to move past the year of political standstill.
