Parliamentary elections will be held in Kosovo today, 9 February. Citizens will elect 120 members of the Assembly from a total of 28 electoral lists, featuring 1,280 candidates. Ten seats in the Kosovo Assembly are reserved for representatives of the Serbian minority, while another ten are allocated to other minority communities.
The incumbent Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and his party Vetëvendosje, are once again entering the elections with the support of the Guxo party, founded by Kosovo’s President, Vjosa Osmani.
If he secures another mandate, Kurti has promised that his new government will continue its current policies.
During the election campaign, Kurti has announced plans to further integrate northern Kosovo while reiterating that he will not work on establishing the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities in his second term. The association is an obligation under the Brussels Agreement, signed in 2013, and a key demand of the international community.
His approach to the Belgrade–Pristina dialogue has stirred controversy both domestically and internationally. Over the past four years, the international community has repeatedly criticized Kurti’s unilateral actions. As a result, in June 2023, the European Union imposed measures against Kosovo, which remain in effect to this day.
Opposing Albin Kurti, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (Partia Demokratike e Kosovës – PDK), founded by former President Hashim Thaçi, stands as the strongest opposition party. In these elections, PDK is led by Bedri Hamza, the mayor of Mitrovica. Throughout the campaign, PDK has sharply criticized Kurti’s government for the country’s economic situation and the deterioration of relations with Western allies.
On February 3, Richard Grenell, a close associate of former U.S. President Donald Trump, publicly criticized Kurti on X while praising Thaçi, who is currently in detention at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.
I have many friends in Kosovo and Albania…and many friends in Serbia and throughout the region.
The Trump Administration has worked and will continue to work towards peace for everyone in the Balkans.
But we need trustworthy partners.
The Kurti Government was not…
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 3, 2025
The Democratic League of Kosovo (Lidhja Demokratike e Kosovës – LDK), a party founded by Ibrahim Rugova, the key political leader of Kosovo Albanians in the late 20th century, is entering the elections with a new leader. Lumir Abdixhiku, a 41-year-old financial expert, is leading the party’s campaign, focusing on criticizing the government’s economic policies and promising a new path for Kosovo.
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (Aleanca për Ardhmërinë e Kosovës – AAK), led by Ramush Haradinaj, and Nisma, the party of Fatmir Limaj, are running together in these parliamentary elections. The parties of the two former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders have strongly criticized Kurti’s government for straining relations with the United States and claim they are better suited to handle Kosovo’s international challenges.
According to an analysis published by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Kosovo, with a population of fewer than two million, has a notably young electorate. Since the 2021 elections, 150,000 citizens have gained the right to vote. Among voters aged 18 to 21, turnout is the highest, reaching 57% according to data from the election commission.
The analysis suggests that Kosovo’s diaspora, which accounts for approximately 5% to 10% of the electorate, could play a decisive role in the election outcome.
Vetëvendosje struggles for absolute majority
The foundation notes that polling data indicates Albin Kurti’s Vetëvendosje can still expect to secure between 45% and 50% of the vote. The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), a member of the liberal European ALDE party, is projected to win between 17% and 20%, while the conservative Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) could garner around 15%.
“A change in power is therefore unlikely, but there is a possibility that Vetëvendosje, which has governed alone so far, will be forced to form coalitions,” the Friedrich Naumann Foundation states.
The Atlantic Council describes Albin Kurti as a bold yet polarizing leader, praised as a reformist by those seeking rapid change, while others criticize him for policies they believe undermine progress in fostering strong regional relations.
“For many, he is a symbol of hope and progress, but for others, his hardline positions—particularly on domestic reforms—raise red flags. As voters head to the polls, Kurti’s leadership and vision remain central to Kosovo’s political debate, sparking questions about the country’s path forward,” the Atlantic Council’s European Center writes.
The Atlantic Council further assesses that Kosovo’s future critically depends on its integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. This process coincides with the selection of a new European Commission and the opportunities presented by the appointment of the EU’s new special envoy, Peter Sørensen, for normalizing Kosovo-Serbia relations. Additionally, potential shifts in the priorities of a new U.S. administration add another layer of uncertainty.
Six lists competing for votes of Kosovo Serbs
Following the Banjska attack, the strongest party representing Kosovo Serbs, the Serbian List (Srpska Lista – SL), underwent leadership changes. Zlatan Elek replaced Goran Rakić as party leader, but the party continues to enjoy the support of Serbia’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party and official Belgrade.
In addition to Srpska lista, five other lists are competing for the votes of Kosovo Serbs. The Serbian Democracy (Srpska demokratija) is led by Aleksandar Arsenijević, an activist and politician from North Mitrovica, known for his repeated detentions due to protests during visits by Kosovo officials to northern Kosovo.
The Party of Kosovo Serbs (Partija kosovskih Srba) is headed by Aleksandar Jablanović, a former prominent member and later vocal opponent of Srpska lista.
The For Freedom, Justice, and Survival list is led by Nenad Rašić, a minister in Albin Kurti’s outgoing government.
Rašić did not compete in the previous elections due to an ongoing court case at the time but endorsed one of the competing lists.
Once the legal process was concluded, he was appointed Minister for Return and Communities, replacing Goran Rakić, the then-leader of the Serbian List. The Serbian List, which won all the seats allocated to Serbs, did not support Rašić’s appointment.
The Serbian People’s Movement party was founded and is led by Branimir Stojanović, another former high-ranking official of the Serbian List from Gračanica.
Nenad Radosavljević, a former candidate for mayor of Leposavić, a municipality in the north, as well as Radoica Radomirović, who served as a deputy minister for return and communities in Albin Kurti’s previous government, will attempt to enter the Assembly of Kosovo on the list of the Citizens’ Initiative People’s Justice.