Voters in Kosovo began casting their ballots on Sunday as parliamentary elections kicked off.
About 2 million citizens are able to make their voices heard in the election, with many Kosovars returning from abroad to vote. Polling booths opened at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT) and will close 12 hours later.
The election will determine who fills the 120 seats of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo. As per Kosovo’s constitution, 20 seats are reserved for minority ethnic groups such as Serbs, Bosniaks, and Turks.
Kurti clear favorite, but unlikely to win majority
Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party is expected to receive the most votes in the election. However, the left-nationalist party is unlikely to land a majority as it did four years ago.
Kurti’s government has sought to strengthen Kosovo’s institutions and enact economic reforms such as a higher minimum wage and subsidies for women and children.
Vetevendosje has also sought to stamp out Serbian institutions in ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo, such as closing down Serbian post offices and effectively banning the dinar.
These moves have angered ethnic Serbians in northern Kosovo, and have also escalated tensions between Kosovo and Serbia. The US and EU have also criticized Kurti for taking unilateral actions in the north, sparking fears of destabilization in the Balkans.
Who are the main opposition parties?
Led by prime minister candidate Bedri Hamzahe, the center-right Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) is the top opposition party in the election and has focused on boosting the economy. The DPK has sought to repair Kosovo’s ties with the US and EU.
The center-right Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), another opposition party, has also called for boosting relations with the US and EU and urged more dialogue with Serbia. Its prime minister candidate is economist Lumir Abdixhiku.
The Serb List party, led by Zlatan Elek, has vowed to protect the rights of ethnic Serbians. The party has close relations with the Serbian government and Serbian President Aleksander Vucic.
Kosovo became independent from Serbia in 2008 with the support of the United States. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as an independent country.
Edited by: Louis Oelofse
