Kosovo Parliamentary Election Returns Win for Opposition Parties

Parliamentary elections on October 6 in Kosovo served as a rebuke of the ruling party. (Wikimedia Commons)

Kosovars took to the polls on October 6, electing opposition parties for the first time since Kosovo gained independence from Serbia in 2008. The election was a sharp rebuttal of Kosovo’s previous ruling party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), which dominated the last three elections and has engaged in rampant corruption. Though neither opposition party gained a majority in Kosovo’s Parliament, the leaders of both Self-Determination (Vetevendosje) and the Democratic League (LDK) have vowed to form a coalition government.

The road to Kosovo’s snap elections has been rocky, especially following the resignation of former-Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, whom the Hague is currently investigating for war crimes relating to his participation in guerilla warfare during Kosovo’s fight for independence. His party, the PDK, is largely comprised of former guerilla leaders; in an attempt to disassociate themselves, many other parties, including the center-right LDK, broke off from the PDK coalition prior to this month’s elections.

The victory of the center-left Vetevendosje further indicates that Kosovars may be seeking an alternative to the militant leaders who have dominated their government for 11 years. Both Vetevendosje and LDK ran on platforms of raising employment rates, eliminating corruption, and beginning peace talks with Serbia, which still refuses to recognize Kosovo’s statehood.

Although Vetevendosje and the LDK’s attempts to form a coalition prior to the election failed, the increased pressure brought on by their nearly equal shares of the popular vote—Vetevendosje won 25.49 percent, while LDK took a narrow second place with 24.82 percent, a margin of fewer than 6,000 votes—appear to have incentivized collaboration.

“I will start negotiations with the LDK based on the election result and finally agree,” said Albin Kurti, the prime ministerial candidate from Vetevendosje. If Vetevendosje and LDK are unable to form a coalition, they will be forced to call another election until another party or coalition reaches a majority. 

While both parties hope to expand Kosovo’s presence on the international stage, particularly through participation in the United Nations and the European Union, their efforts may be stymied by Serbian interference. On August 27, the Serbian minister of foreign affairs announced Serbia’s goal to reduce the number of UN nations that recognize Kosovo as an independent state by half. Kosovo’s attempts to join the UN have also been impeded by Russia, which possesses Security Council veto power and currently does not recognize Kosovo’s independence.

For now, however, the leading parties’ first priority is forming a coalition government and tackling widespread corruption. Vetevendosje and LDK aim to finally leave the vestiges of guerrilla leadership in the past.