It remains to be seen whether votes cast by people living outside Kosovo will add to Kurti’s total; added 2 percent to Vetëvendosje’s figures in December. The total votes will be finalized in the coming weeks after the votes sent in from abroad are counted.
But due to the minority party of Serbia refusing to work with him and other opposition parties as well, there is no possibility of reaching an agreement soon with VV, Kurti will probably not have enough seats to form a government.
“The diaspora can add 2-3 mandates to Kurti’s Vetëvendosje, meaning he can get about 50 MPs,” said Besar Gërgi, an expert on European integration at the Legal and Political Studies Group, a Kosovo think tank, who predicted an ongoing political stalemate. “He cannot form a government with (the remaining ethnic minority parties), but also no president can be elected without their consent.”
Kosovo’s latest election was forced by a parliamentary crisis due to the parliament’s failure to elect a president. Kurti refused to support former President Vjosa Osmani for the post and instead nominated candidates from his party, which the opposition boycotted.
Kurti and Osmani clashed over the presidency earlier this year, with Osmani accusing Kurti of trying to consolidate the country’s institutions. “The future of Kosovo cannot be held by political selfishness,” he said, accusing Kurti of alienating European and American allies in interview with POLITICO.
Osmani then dissolved parliament in March, returning Kosovo to elections for the third time since early 2025. He rejoined his old party, the Democratic League of Kosovo, aiming to oust Kurti, but finished third on Sunday with around 18 percent.
Although it declared independence from Serbia in 2008, Kosovo is still not recognized by the five EU member states and needs to mend relations with Belgrade to move forward in its application process. Not yet granted candidate status after applying in 2022.
