Many-sided opposition faces Kosovo election victor

Significance

The anti-establishment party took a resounding 47.9% of the vote, and will now form a government. The established parties performed poorly, the second-placed Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) polling only 17.4%. The Social Democratic Initiative (Nisma) garnered just 2.6%, eliminating it from parliament.

Impacts

• Acting President Vjosa Osmani, the LVV-preferred candidate, is almost certain to be re-elected in the upcoming indirect vote in parliament.
• The party’s proposed reforms could stimulate economic growth, but at the risk of curbing market freedoms, especially in strategic sectors.
• Lax controls during the election campaign are likely to have spread the COVID-19 pandemic further, as Kosovo lags badly with vaccination.