Kosovo's ruling Vetevendosje party is on track to come first in a parliamentary election on Sunday (February 9), but it will need to negotiate a coalition with other parties to form a government, an exit poll showed, Reuters reports.
The election result would be a drop from the more than 50% that Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s party won in 2021. But it puts him in a position to lead the next government in a country whose politics are dominated by the relationship with neighbouring Serbia and Serbs within its borders.
During the election campaign, Kurti apparently ruled out forming a coalition, saying he would not participate in government unless he won more than 50% of the vote.
Kurti, a leftist and Albanian nationalist, came to power in 2021 when a coalition run by the Vetevendosje party received more than 50% of votes and secured a seven-seat majority in the 120-seat parliament.
This time, Vetevendosje is set to win 38.2% of the vote, according to the exit poll on Klan Kosova TV. The opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo is set to come second with 22.4% of the votes, with the Democratic League of Kosovo on 20.1%.
The other two exit polls by Dukagjini TV and T7 TV also had Vetevendosje coming first with 40.3% and 37%, respectively.
Preliminary results are expected later in the evening.
Serbia has also not recognized the region's independence.
