Kosovo votes in snap election in bid to end a year of political deadlock

The Balkan nation votes again as PM Albin Kurti seeks majority to break the stalemate and form a government.Published On 28 Dec 2025Kosovo is voting to elect a new parliament for the second time in 11 months, as nationalist Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s party seeks a majority to end a yearlong political deadlock.Polls opened at 7am local time (06:00 GMT) and will close at 7pm (18:00 GMT) on Sunday, with exit polls expected soon after voting ‌ends.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3PM Albin Kurti declares victory in Kosovo electionlist 2 of 3Kosovo police arrest eight people over canal explosion blamed on Serbialist 3 of 3Kosovo: The Making of a Stateend of listThe snap parliamentary vote was called after Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s Self-Determination Movement (LVV) party failed to form a government despite winning the most votes at a February 9 ballot.Failure to form a government and reopen parliament would prolong the crisis at a critical time. Lawmakers must elect a new president in April and ratify 1 billion euros ($1.2bn) in loan agreements from the European Union and ‍World Bank that expire ⁠in the coming months.The Balkan country’s opposition parties have refused to govern with Kurti, criticising his handling of ties with Western allies and his approach to Kosovo’s ethnically divided north, where a Serb minority lives.Kosovo’s acting PM and leader of the LVV party, Albin Kurti [File: Armend Nimani/AFP]Despite international support, the country of 1.6 million has struggled with poverty, instability and organised crime. Kurti’s tenure, which began ‌in 2021, was the first time a Pristina government completed a full term.To woo voters, Kurti has pledged an additional month of salary per year for public sector workers, 1 billion euros per year in capital investment and a new prosecution unit to fight organised crime. ​Opposition parties have also promised to focus on improving living standards.