Vetevendosje Party Wins Kosovo Elections, Ending Political Stalemate

Mon Dec 29 2025 05:37:18 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

After months of political deadlock, the Albanian nationalist Vetevendosje party has secured a decisive victory in Kosovo's parliamentary elections, paving the way for its leader, Albin Kurti, to serve a third term.

In a significant shift in Kosovo's political landscape, the Vetevendosje party has achieved a landslide victory in recent parliamentary elections, enabling its leader, Albin Kurti, to lead the country for a third consecutive term. As the results show a commanding 50.8% of the vote, the focus now shifts to forming a stable government amidst the challenges of economic recovery and international relations.

The Albanian nationalist Vetevendosje party has won a landslide victory in Kosovo's parliamentary elections, according to preliminary results.

With 90% of the votes counted, the party, whose name means self determination, was on 50.8%, meaning a third term in power for its leader, Albin Kurti.

The two main opposition parties, the centre-right Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), received 20.98% and 13.89%, respectively.

Vetevendosje won elections in February without a majority, resulting in a prolonged period without a functioning government.

The impasse raised the question of whether voters would penalize Kurti for the deadlock or the opposition parties for their refusal to collaborate.

However, the electorate has clearly addressed this concern. Although it may not suffice for Kurti to govern without coalition partners, he is likely to find support from ethnic minority party MPs who hold 20 of the 120 seats in the National Assembly.

This marks Vetevendosje's fourth consecutive electoral victory and serves as a vindication for Kurti after the opposition obstructed his attempts to form a government following the previous elections.

Kurti termed this win the greatest victory in the history of the country and expressed hopes for cooperation from the opposition this time around.

Arben Gashi, from the Democratic League of Kosovo, suggested the possibility of collaboration, emphasizing the necessity for reflection and responsible actions in light of the voters' decision.

The urgency of the situation is underscored by Kosovo's missed opportunities for substantial European Union funding due to governmental instability. Kurti also mentioned potential deals with the World Bank that could exceed €1 billion.

Rebuilding relations with the EU and the US is essential, considering Kurti's previous contentious stance toward institutions serving the Kosovo Serb community in the north, which heightened regional tensions.

The EU has lifted sanctions it imposed in 2023 but is keen for Kurti to adopt a pragmatic approach in the historically stalled normalisation dialogue with Serbia.

Despite previous tensions with Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vucic, the resounding endorsement for Kurti signifies a lack of faith in the alternatives, as previous parties connected to the Kosovo Liberation Army have failed to improve the country's socioeconomic conditions.

Analyst Artan Muhaxhiri pointed out Vetevendosje's constitutional violations and deteriorating relations with allies but stressed that citizens viewed the opposition as more detrimental overall.