So who are the main opposition parties in Kosovo? pitted against Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s ruling party appeared set to secure the most seats in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, according to preliminary results.
It is the main political party in Kosovo however with drop in votes in this election, it is unlikely that it will be able to govern by itself.
Kurti will need to form a coalition and with one of the other parties. WTX News and its Kosovan correspondent breakdown who are the main opposition parties in Kosovo and what do they stand for.
Vetevendosje party (“Self-Determination”)(VV)
It is projected that Kurti’s Vetevendosje (“Self-Determination”) party (VV) was leading the race with an estimated 42 percent of votes.
The 2021 parliamentary election was won by the Albanian-nationalist social-democratic Vetevendosje (Self-Determination Movement), led by Albin Kurti, a student leader who wants Kosovo to truly independent.
Kurti’s quest to stamp out Serbian influence on Kosovo’s soil. From early 1999 to late 2001, political prisoner under Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic
Who are the main opposition parties in Kosovo?
In positive news from Kosovo all the parties have suggested that they are willing to work together to form a government.
Long-time rivals the PDK and LDK have partnered to form coalition governments on multiple occasions since the independence war from Serbia in the late 1990s, following mediation and pressure from the international community.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo PDK
The Democratic Party of Kosovo, the PDK, came second with 22.68%. and is largely considered to be the main opposition, in this infant democracy.
Led by prime minister candidate Bedri Hamzahe, the center-right PDK was the top opposition party in the election and focused on boosting the economy. The DPK sought to repair Kosovo’s ties with the United States and European Union.
Democratic League of Kosovo LDK
In third place was the Democratic League of Kosovo, or LDK, with 17.9%. Is a growing right-wing party that is looking to bring better relations with the EU.
The center-right LDK also called for boosting relations with the US and EU and urged more dialogue with Serbia.
The Serb List party vowed to protect the rights of ethnic Serbians. The party has close relations with the Serbian government and Serbian President Aleksander Vucic.
Serb voters in the northern city of Mitrovica said they hoped elections would bring more prosperity in the future after years of tensions.
Tensions spiked in 2023
Tensions spiked after EU- and US-backed negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia all but collapsed in March 2023.
In the aftermath, NATO peacekeepers were assaulted by rioting Serbs while a deadly armed standoff in the north sent regional tensions soaring.
Throughout the unrest, Kurti has remained unwavering, even if it meant running afoul of Kosovo’s vital allies in the United States and Europe.
But his supporters have praised his vision. Kosovo became independent from Serbia in 2008 with the support of the United States.