The 2025 parliamentary elections in Kosovo, held on February 9, marked a historic milestone as the first regular elections since the country’s 2008 independence. According to Andrássy University of Budapest, the vote proceeded without major incidents and received a largely positive assessment from EU election observers. Yet, the aftermath reveals a fractured political landscape and a delayed path to forming a government.
With a turnout of just under 47%, the elections highlighted deep regional divides. For the first time, the Belgrade-aligned Srpska Lista failed to secure all ten parliamentary seats reserved for Kosovo’s Serb minority, as a competing party led by Minister Nenad Rašić gained a seat. Other minority communities, including Bosniaks, Turks, and Roma, also retained their constitutionally guaranteed representation.
However, the electoral process suffered from technical failures and delays, including a website crash, slow vote transmission, and complications with diaspora and conditional votes. As a result, final results were delayed by over a month, stalling coalition talks and prolonging political uncertainty.
The leading party, Vetëvendosje (VV), led by outgoing Prime Minister Albin Kurti, won 42.3% of the vote but fell short of a governing majority. With tensions high among rival parties, forming a stable coalition appears difficult. Even minimal cooperation with the second and third-placed parties, PDK and LDK, is unlikely due to deep-rooted conflicts.
The political stalemate poses challenges for Kosovo’s domestic stability and EU integration ambitions. As the only country in the Western Balkans without official EU candidate status, Kosovo remains under sanctions due to unilateral actions on security and minority policies. Meanwhile, unresolved tensions with Serbia and domestic youth emigration continue to pressure the country’s leadership.
Source: Andrássy University of Budapest
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