A decisive win for the ruling Vetëvendosje party in the December 28 early parliamentary elections raises expectations for rapid government formation, ending months of institutional paralysis and reopening the path toward reforms and ratification of stalled international agreements.
Kosovo’s snap elections, held on December 28, delivered a decisive victory to the ruling party, Vetëvendosje, LVV, led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti. With close to 50 percent of the vote, experts claim that this places Kurti in a position to form the next government and potentially govern without a formal coalition, but challenges on the path forward remain.
According to preliminary results released by the Central Election Commission, CEC, LVV is projected to secure 56 seats in the 120-member Assembly, which marks a significant increase compared to the February elections when they won 48 seats. In terms of results, Vetevendosje matched its historic 2021 result, when it won 50.28 percent of the vote which translated to 58 parliament seats.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, came second with around 21 percent, maintaining a similar level of support compared to February. Meanwhile, the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, suffered notable losses, dropping from 18.27 percent earlier this year to approximately 13.57 percent, bringing it closer to its weaker 2021 performance.
Urgent need for functional institutions
Kosovo’s parliament session on October 26, 2025. Photo: BIRN
Kosovo needs the rapid formation of its institutions following the December 28 elections, as the country faces a backlog of legislative work and pending international agreements. The new government, led by Vetëvendosje and Prime Minister Albin Kurti, will confront numerous challenges, including budget approval, EU-related funds, and the restoring of negotiations with Serbia.
European Union officials, including High Representative Kaja Kallas and Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, called for the swift formation of the new Assembly and government, urging that, immediately after the government is formed, “agreements under the EU Growth Plan be ratified, and that obligations arising from the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue be fully implemented.”
The process of forming new institutions will formally begin only after the CEC certifies the final election results, a procedure that typically takes up to one month and depends on the resolution of complaints, appeals, and the counting of diaspora and conditional ballots.
Following the constitution of the Assembly, the President will nominate a prime minister-designate, who will then have 15 days to present a cabinet for parliamentary approval. Although 61 votes are required to form a government, LVV’s expected 56 seats mean the party can reach a majority with support from non-Serb minority representatives.
Among the most pressing issues is the European Union’s Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. Kosovo’s share amounts to approximately 900 million euros. However, due to delays in institutional formation, the amounts have not yet been allocated.
“Due to a delay in forming its institutions, the agreements related to the Reform and Growth Facility are not yet in force. Without the ratification of agreements, Kosovo cannot make a request for payment under the Reform and Growth Facility,” the European Commission told BIRN.
Despite political uncertainty, the caretaker government also approved a draft 2026 budget worth around 4 billion euros which needs to be passed by the parliament as well.
Following the announcement of the preliminary results on December 28, Prime Minister Kurti emphasised the need for “swift certification of results to be processed forward.”
He called on opposition parties to cooperate, particularly on international agreements.
PDK prime ministerial candidate Bedri Hamza expressed hope for a quick constitution of institutions and support for initiatives that, “serve Kosovo’s interests, including international agreements.”
LDK candidate Lumir Abdixhiku also stressed the country’s need for functional democratic institutions.
Experts: numbers favour stability
Early parliamentary elections in Kosovo on December 28, 2025. Photo: BIRN/Denis Sllovinja
Political analyst Dritëro Arifi said LVV should face no major obstacles in forming institutions given its electoral strength.
He stressed the urgency of passing the budget and ratifying international agreements linked to the EU and the World Bank.
“With serious commitment, these could be completed by January, allowing development projects to begin in February—if there is any.”
Arifi noted that for agreements requiring a two-thirds majority, the opposition would be compelled to act pragmatically.
“Any refusal to vote could push the country back into elections, potentially producing an even worse outcome for the opposition,” he warned.
He also described Kurti’s call for cooperation as a pragmatic move, noting that opposition support is necessary for international agreements, dialogue with Serbia, and the election of a new president in spring 2026.
“It will be a very difficult year for Kurti if he thinks he can continue to bypass things (especially international obligations) as he has done so far.”
Meanwhile, Donika Emini an expert from the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group, BIEPAG, stated that LVV has won a clear majority and can form the government without needing to share power with other parties:
“This is a victory that resolves a major issue—the institutional crisis—because it is now far more likely that the government can be formed quickly and continue with a clear mandate.”
President knot remains
Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani in a press conference on November 20, 2025. Photo: Screenshot from Kosovo’s Presidency.
The Presidential elections slated for early 2026 risk becoming another source of political instability. Any incoming government will need to secure sufficient parliamentary support to elect a new president and ensure continuity beyond the current term.
The mandate of President Vjosa Osmani ends in April 2026, and a presidential election requires at least 80 MPs to be present in the Assembly for the vote to be valid.
In an interview for Radio Free Europe on December 29, Vjosa Osmani stated that she is “aiming for another term as president.”
According to Arifi, the presidential issue is effectively resolved.
“The opposition cannot set conditions or block the process, because if there is no presidential solution by March, the country would face snap elections—something that would only benefit Albin Kurti and likely increase his support as he would point to the opposition for the deadlock.”
“I don’t believe they would be so reckless as to ignore this situation, the opposition needs to undertake serious reflection on its role in politics,” he added.
On the presidential issue, Emini added that the opposition lacks the power and is not in a strong position to negotiate or create obstacles.
“If opposition parties attempt to block the presidential election, it could potentially push the country back into general elections. The opposition would not have enough time to recover, prepare, or respond before spring 2026.”
Emini also noted that the scale of LVV’s victory came as a surprise, even to the party itself, describing the win as the result of a “long, calculated strategy” following the February elections.
Emini added that even the timing of the vote was carefully calculated: “The election date was set during the holiday period, when the diaspora—an electorate that traditionally supports LVV—is more present in Kosovo.”
She noted that, “political polarisation played an important role in the election outcome.”
“Kurti chose to communicate directly with citizens rather than through the media. Paradoxically, his limited public presence made him even more prominent in the debate. The harsher the public criticism, the more LVV voters were mobilised in a reactive way,” she added.
Meanwhile, Arifi emphasised that opposition parties “urgently need internal restructuring,” identifying weak leadership and lack of consistency as the main factors for their election outcome because “citizens did not see they had the ability to bring about any change.”