Kosovo to hold parliamentary election amid deadlock over new president

Kosovo is set to hold its third parliamentary election in just 18 months this Sunday. The snap election comes after political parties failed to reach a consensus on electing a new president. Analysts anticipate that Prime Minister Albin Kurti's Vetevendosje party will emerge victorious once more. However, securing a victory will not be enough on its own, as Kurti will still need to negotiate with opposition parties to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority in parliament to elect a new head of state. Vetevendosje won 51.1% of the vote in the last election in December but could not agree with other parties on a candidate for the largely ceremonial presidency, triggering the dissolution of parliament in April and another snap election. An expert noted that even 10 rounds of elections would not solve the issue without political will for a deal, and that Kurti's party would need to win over 60% of the vote to secure the election of its preferred candidates for parliamentary speaker and president, which is unlikely. The EU has urged Kosovo to create strong institutions to deliver reforms needed to join the bloc. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and maintains a pro-Western orientation, opposing further concessions to Serbia. Over 900 candidates from 17 parties and three coalition groups are competing for seats in the 120-seat parliament. Approximately 2.1 million voters are registered, including a large diaspora that tends to favour Kurti's party. Many Kosovars desire political stability.