Kosovo will hold a snap general election on June 7, its interim president announced Thursday, as analysts warn that a third poll in just over a year signals a spiralling crisis in Europe’s youngest country.
Since an election in early 2025, the Balkan nation’s parliament has been largely deadlocked, as bitterly divided MPs blocked candidates from being elected to top posts.
Earlier this week, lawmakers failed to meet a constitutional deadline to elect a new president, triggering the dissolution of parliament and forcing voters back to the polls.
Albulena Haxhiu, who was appointed acting president after her predecessor’s term lapsed, said she had consulted with electoral officials and considered the date to ensure “the widest possible participation of citizens”.
But on the streets of the capital, Pristina, high school teacher Medina Krasniqi expressed frustration at the rolling election cycle.
“Prices are skyrocketing, and they are mercilessly deciding to spend millions on a vote that will prove nothing new and that no one needs except politicians,” the 29-year-old told AFP.
– Political crisis –
Despite Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s party topping the election in February 2025, he lacked the majority to form a government.
It left the Balkan nation without a functioning parliament for most of the year and eventually forced a snap poll in December.
Although his party again topped that vote and joined with ethnic minority MPs to form a government, an opposition boycott of this week’s vote to replace the outgoing president eventually sank the parliament.
“It is one of the biggest political crises of the post-war period,” analyst Shkelzen Gashi said.
“The problem is not only in numbers, but in the lack of a culture of compromise,” Gashi said, referring to months of failed talks between Kurti and other parties.
Kurti has accused his opponents of “anti-state” behaviour over repeated parliamentary boycotts, which have prevented the necessary quorum for key votes.
Opposition parties have, in turn, blamed Kurti for attempting to appoint politically biased candidates to the role of parliamentary speaker and president.
Gashi said the cycle of repeated elections is damaging the country’s reputation, blocking reforms, and costing millions of euros.
According to estimates from the Central Election Commission, after the upcoming election, Kosovo will have spent more than 22 million euros ($25.7 million) on just holding the votes.
– No real solution –
The announcement of fresh elections could also increase voter disillusionment, economist Besim Hoxha said.
“For those who were not aware about it until now, they could see this time that the whole game is about power, power and power and not raising the standard of living of the electorate,” he said.
The need for new elections will also further delay negotiations with Serbia — which has never recognised Kosovo’s 2008 independence proclamation — a key criterion for both countries’ ambitions to join the European Union.
“The biggest risk is the creation of a bad precedent that every time the parties fail to reach an agreement, the country is sent to elections,” Gashi said.
“Even after the elections, we could return to the same point, without a real solution.”
ih/al/phz