Kosovo’s incumbent prime minister has won the country’s snap elections, marking a political resurgence for the nationalist leader and ending months of deadlock in the nascent European state.
The result of the public vote on Sunday, December 29th, strengthens PM Albin Kurti’s mandate to pursue domestic reforms, including expanded welfare and higher salaries for public-sector workers. However, his new term will also be shaped by major challenges, notably strained relations with Serbia and—in comparison to Kosovo’s Balkan neighbours—underperforming health and education systems. .
With nearly all the votes counted, official results show Kurti’s Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) leading with more than 49% of the vote. This leaves him needing only minor coalition partners to secure a parliamentary majority.
The outcome represents a turnaround for Kurti after his failure to win enough support in the February election or to form a coalition with larger opposition parties. That stalemate left parliament largely non-functional for most of 2025, delaying the delivery of about €1bn in international funding vital to one of Europe’s poorest countries.
