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LoginKosovo Holds Third Snap Parliamentary Polls in 18 Months on Sunday
Pristina, June 06 (QNA) - Kosovo voters head to the polls on Sunday in a snap parliamentary election, the third in just 18 months, amid a continuing political stalemate in the Balkan state, which is seeking to strengthen its ties with the European Union and NATO.
The early parliamentary election was scheduled after Kosovo's main political parties failed, by the March deadline, to reach an agreement on a successor to former President Vjosa Osmani.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti's centre-left Vetevendosje party has held a clear parliamentary majority since the snap election held last December. However, the election of a president requires the support of at least 80 lawmakers in the 120-seat parliament, a majority that none of the political parties has been able to secure.
As differences among the main political forces persist, there have been growing calls to focus efforts on economic issues and living standards rather than the continuing political stalemate.
The first inconclusive election, held in February 2025, left the country without a functioning government for much of last year, prompting the authorities to call a second election in December of the same year.
Kurti has called on voters to give him another chance in Sunday's election, accusing opposition parties of creating an "artificial crisis" and forcing repeated elections despite what he described as "the strong and clear will of the people".
In contrast, the two main opposition parties, the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo, have accused Kurti of seeking to impose complete control over all political institutions in the country.
Former President Vjosa Osmani is contesting the current election on the Democratic League of Kosovo's list against Kurti, who was previously her ally, after he refused to support her bid for a second presidential term.
Speaking at a final campaign rally in Pristina on Friday, Osmani said Kurti's policies had "erected barriers between people and deepened divisions", adding that the country had witnessed "a policy with no vision other than imposing complete control".
The continuing political crisis has affected Kosovo's economy, which has been hit by the global energy crisis and rising fuel prices. The institutional vacuum has also delayed the country's access to funding from the European Union and other international bodies. (QNA)
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