Elections in Kosovo. Photo from the Central Election Commission (Facebook)

The parliamentary elections of February 9, 2025, marked a significant moment in the country’s political landscape, bringing some shifts in voter support for both Albanian parties and those representing communities, while particularly highlighting tensions within the Serbian community.

The campaign was characterized by deep political polarization, both within the Albanian and Serbian communities, with narratives centered on issues of national identity, Euro-Atlantic integration, and the struggle for dominance within their respective communities.

According to the preliminary results of the Central Election Commission(KQZ), the Self-Determination Movement (LVV), led by Albin Kurti, won 40.96 percent of the votes, marking a nearly 10 percent decline compared to the 2021 elections. The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) came in second with 22.55 percent, while the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) secured 17.10 percent of the votes. The coalition between the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Nisma received 7.52 percent of the votes. Meanwhile, other communities, which are not counted alongside the majority parties as they have reserved seats, will have 20 deputies, 10 for Serbs and 10 for other minority communities.

The Self-Determination Movement (LVV) centered its campaign on promises to continue reforms, fight corruption, and extend sovereignty in the Serb-majority north. Kurti highlighted his government’s achievements in reducing unemployment, increasing the minimum wage, and boosting the country’s economic growth. However, in its efforts to accuse former ruling parties, LVV officials linked their activities to a narrative suggesting they are dependent on Serbia.

Former Speaker of Parliament, Glauk Konjufca, stated during one of the rallies that February 9 would determine whether Kosovo would be governed with “Albanianism” or in cooperation with Belgrade. He urged citizens to support the continuation of LVV’s governance and not to return Kosovo to 2017, when, according to him, “the formation of the government depended on the votes of Serbian List MPs.”

LVV faced criticism for these accusations, as well as for failures in the education and healthcare sectors and strained relations with the European Union and the United States, which culminated in EU sanctions in 2023.

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), as the main opposition parties, criticized the government for its divisive rhetoric and aggressive policies, which, according to them, have harmed relations with Western allies and hindered Kosovo’s integration into NATO and the EU. They pledged a more diplomatic and cooperative approach to foreign policy, promising to restore good relations with international partners.

The Narratives of Serbian Political Parties

Within the Serbian community, the Serbian List took a strong stance against Albin Kurti’s government, accusing him of using threatening rhetoric towards Serbs and attempting to undermine their rights, “with the ultimate goal of expelling Serbs from Kosovo.” This discourse was also supported by officials from Serbia, who continued to back the Serbian List. Petar Petkovic, director of the Office for Kosovo in the Serbian Government, stated that Kurti had used threatening language towards Serbs, portraying him as a leader who plays with the national sentiments of Serbs and promotes the idea of a “Greater Albania.”

The election campaign was also marked by mutual accusations between parties within the Serbian community.

New Serbian parties, such as the Party for Freedom, Justice, and Survival, led by Nenad Rasic, attempted to challenge the dominance of the Serbian List by offering a more moderate alternative focused on integration into Kosovo’s institutions. The Serbian List, the dominant party in this community with support from the official Belgrade, was accused of vote-buying and pressuring voters. Political opponents claimed that social assistance of 20,000 dinars (about 170 euros) was distributed only to confirmed voters of the Serbian List. On the other hand, the party led by Nenad Rasic, who served as Minister for Communities and Return in Kurti’s government, was accused of distributing household equipment and agricultural subsidies from Kosovo’s budget in an effort to gain votes.

The Serbian List expressed dissatisfaction with the Central Election Commission, claiming that it was denied the right to observe and monitor on election day and that the composition of the election commissions favored rival parties.

For the first time since its establishment in 2013, the Serbian List risks losing its dominance over the more than 10 reserved seats for the Serbian community in the Kosovo Assembly. According to the preliminary results of the CEC, one of these seats is expected to go to the Party for Freedom, Justice, and Survival, reflecting greater political pluralism within the Serbian community. In these parliamentary elections, six political parties participated, which had not happened before—Serbian List, Party for Freedom, Justice, and Survival, Serbian People’s Movement, Serbian Democracy, Kosovo Serbs Party, and Civic People’s Justice. What united five of these six parties was the effort to end the hegemony of the Serbian List.

Serbia’s Intervention

The European Union Election Observation Mission assessed the elections as “Peaceful and vibrant,” but criticized the polarization of the political debate and Serbia’s interference through pressure on Kosovo’s Serbian voters.

In a press conference, the EU mission mentioned the negative and inflammatory language used by the ruling party towards the media and judiciary, Serbia’s interference through pressure on Kosovo’s Serbian voters, as well as criticism from an American official during the campaign against Prime Minister Albin Kurti. “Many interlocutors reported pressure from members of the Serbian List on voters, and there was continuous and repeated interference from Serbia,” said the Chief Observer, Nathalie Loiseau.

With the changes to the Law on General Elections, the Central Election Commission was expected to provide preliminary results for the parties within hours of the closing of the polling stations. However, it failed to do so because the electronic system for data entry malfunctioned for several hours, raising suspicions about the possibility of manipulation.

Acting Deputy Prime Minister, Besnik Bislimi, during a visit to Warsaw, Poland, stated that Kosovo faced security threats during the electoral process.

“…We directly experienced this form of security threats, regarding the attacks on the website of the Central Election Commission, as well as a very sophisticated and intensive frequency of the distribution and production of fake information, very advanced in terms of the issues and timing chosen,” said Bislimi on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting on European affairs, organized by the Presidency of Poland in the Council of the EU.

The German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, also spoke about interference in the electoral process.

While sharing the concern raised by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the situation in Serbia, Rohde stated that the influence of the official authorities in Belgrade extends beyond the Serbian border.

“These attacks and campaigns extend beyond the Serbian border. As emphasized by the head of the Election Observation Mission in Kosovo, Nathalie Loiseau, Serbia interfered in the elections in Kosovo by seeking votes for the Serbian List. At the same time, Serbia baselessly accuses Kosovo of supporting protests in Serbia, without any evidence,” wrote Rohde.

The polarizing language and the rise of populist and nationalist rhetoric were also mentioned by a delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which visited Kosovo during the electoral campaign.

“The delegation recognized the pluralistic and dynamic political landscape, with 28 contested lists representing both majority and minority communities, offering voters a wide range of choices. However, some interlocutors raised concerns about the rise in populist and nationalist rhetoric, as well as the use of hate speech and divisive language. They warned that such trends could harm democracy and interethnic cohesion and could also negatively impact the participation of women in elections and politics, despite the gender quotas on party lists,” read the statement from the delegation.

After the counting of votes from the diaspora, conditional votes, and the handling of appeal deadlines, the CEC will announce the final results, after which the path will be cleared for the constitution of the Kosovo Assembly and then the formation of the government.

Although LVV won the majority of votes, the absence of an absolute majority in the Assembly makes the formation of coalitions necessary.

*This article is published as part of the Western Balkans Regional Initiative against disinformation. “Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Hub: exposing malign influences through watchdog journalism.”