Polling stations opened in Kosovo on Sunday, February 9, with Orange Movement candidates challenging the current Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, on nearly all issue fronts: economic policies, corruption, and even relations with Serbia.
Kurti, a leftist and an Albanian nationalist, first took office in 2021 after his Vetevendosje party won over half the votes. Analysts said his hand had been strengthened by his attempts to impose government authority in the Serb-majority north, but critics said he had failed to implement promised reforms in education and healthcare. His actions in the north have also cost him the friendship of some key allies, including the European Union and the United States.
Those issues have become rallying cries for opposition parties against the prime minister. These include the center-right Democratic League of Kosovo, which emphasizes the need to develop closer relations with the U.S. and EU and to join NATO, and the Democratic Party of Kosovo, which was formed by ex-Kosovo Liberation Army guerrilla fighters.
If the party of former prime minister Albin Kurti falls below 50 percent, it could pave the way for coalition negotiations following the vote. Almost two million voters are registered, and the polls opened at 7 a.m. local time (0600 GMT), to close at 7 p.m. The exit polls are expected shortly after, with official results later in the evening.
Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008 with U.S. support, is always keen on its territorial integrity. The 1999 NATO bombing campaign against Serbian forces was instrumental in securing this independence, and the specter of Donald Trump’s influence looms over the election proceedings.
