Voters across Kosovo went to the polls on Sunday, Oct. 12, to elect mayors and municipal assembly members. Out of over 2 million eligible voters, 39.07% participated in these local elections, the second ones held this year after the general elections in February.

Outright winners emerged in 21 municipalities, while 17 others go to runoffs – 16 in Albanian-majority municipalities and one in a Serb-majority municipality.

As in the 2017 and 2021 local elections, the results did not track the general elections. VV again fell short at the municipal level, unable to turn its February win into first-round victories, but it retained three municipalities and finished first or second in 12, putting it ahead of other major parties.

Among the other main parties, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) retained two municipalities and goes to runoffs in nine, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) held three and goes to runoffs in six, while the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) kept one and will compete in five more runoffs.

In the 2021 local elections, the clear winners were LDK and PDK: LDK won four additional municipalities, bringing its total to nine; PDK held eight; while AAK increased to five. Meanwhile, VV won in four municipalities.

Sunday’s elections came against a backdrop of institutional deadlock: for six months after the February parliamentary vote, MPs failed to constitute the Assembly, stalling formation of a new government. The stalemate ended on Oct. 9 when the Assembly was finally constituted, and a day later VV leader Albin Kurti received the mandate to put his cabinet to a vote within 15 days.

These local elections also marked Srpska Lista’s (Serb List) return to power in the Serb-majority municipalities. After the party boycotted the 2023 extraordinary polls in North Mitrovica, Leposavić, Zubin Potok, and Zvečan, Sunday’s vote ended the brief period in which non-Serb mayors held office.

With nearly 98% of ballots counted by the Central Election Commission, the runoffs will be decisive in who governs the majority of municipalities over the next four years.

Victories, defeats and new runoffs

One of the most heated races took place in Prishtina, where LDK’s Përparim Rama and VV’s Hajrulla Çeku are separated by just 730 votes and will meet in a mayoral runoff. Rama is seeking to keep the capital under LDK control, which he won back from VV in 2021 after two terms. Meanwhile, VV with former Minister of Culture Çeku, aims to reclaim the city it first won in 2017 with Shpend Ahmeti.

PDK’s Uran Ismaili, running for a second time, missed the runoff despite increasing his vote share from from 21% to 27.7%. PSD’s Besa Shahini, making her Kosovo political debut, took 1.55%.

The race between LDK and VV is also tight in several other municipalities.

VV is challenging LDK in two of its strongholds. In Fushë Kosovë, where LDK governed for 25 years, VV’s Valon Përbeza leads with 45.14%, ahead of LDK’s Besnik Osmani on 36.62%. In Peja, four-term mayor Gazmend Muhaxheri leads with 46.11% and heads to a runoff against VV’s Taulant Kelmendi with 27.88%. VV will also meet LDK in runoffs in Vitia and Obiliq.

In Gjilan, where LDK aims to reclaim a former stronghold, LDK’s Arbër Ismajli (34.24%) will face incumbent VV mayor Alban Hyseni, who leads with 49.79%.

VV will also face PDK in four municipalities. The most closely fought is South Mitrovica, where PDK’s first-time candidate Arian Tahiri is 28 votes ahead VV-Guxo’s Faton Peci, former Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development. In Prizren, VV’s Artan Abrashi faces incumbent PDK mayor Shaqir Totaj, with additional VV–PDK runoffs in Kaçanik and Vushtrri.

Unlike its contests with other political parties, one of PDK’s most notable races took place in Drenas, where incumbent mayor Ramiz Lladrovci ran as an independent after PDK declined to renominate him following two terms in office. Winning 52.31% of the vote, he secured a new mandate without a runoff – marking the first time Drenas will not be led by PDK.

VV will also face AAK in runoffs. In Gjakova, AAK’s two-term mayor Ardian Gjini, on 47.74%, is being challenged by VV’s Ardian Gola, who took 32.82%. Similarly, in Rahovec, AAK’s two-term mayor Smajl Latifi is being challenged by VV’s Ali Dula. There will also be a LDK-PDK runoff in Dragash, and AAK will face LDK in Suhareka.

At the same time, the four main parties — VV, PDK, AAK, and LDK — held several municipalities, extending their local grip for another term.

VV kept Shtime, Kamenica, and Podujeva (12 runoffs); PDK retained Ferizaj, Skenderaj, and Hani i Elezit (six runoffs); LDK held Lipjan and Istog (nine runoffs); AAK kept Deçan (five runoffs). First-round results are only a snapshot – the real test lands after the runoffs.

Women shut out of the race

The largest Albanian parties did not nominate any women in their traditional strongholds or in municipalities where they had a realistic chance of winning. Where women were nominated, voters continued the pattern of not backing them enough to enter the runoff – let alone to lead municipalities.

Out of a total of 206 mayoral candidates, only 20 were women, or about 10%.

PDK and AAK led in nominating women, with three candidates each. They were followed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and NISMA Socialdemokrate with two each, while LDK and VV each nominated just one woman. Meanwhile, parties representing non-majority communities put forward six women, and two others ran as independents. The only woman set to lead a municipality is Srpska Lista’s Tanja Antić, who won 71.05% in Ranillug.

The return of Srpska Lista

Srpska Lista regained control of the four Serb-majority municipalities in the north, ending the brief period in which they were led by non-Serb mayors. In the south, it held five of the six Serb-majority municipalities, while Kllokot heads to a runoff against Srpska Narodna Sloga.

This marks Srpska Lista’s second step back into Kosovo’s institutions — after its first, participation in the February parliamentary elections — following the 2022 mass resignation that left Serbs without representation at the central level and in the local one in the north.

These local elections took place in a markedly different context from 2021. Kosovo Serbs voted after a period without representation and amid rising frustration over what they perceive as the government’s centralized, non-consultative push to extend sovereignty in the north.

Srpska Lista has dominated northern local governance for over a decade and faces longstanding accusations of pressuring and intimidating local Serbs.

In this campaign, it leaned on hardline rhetoric against the Kosovo government, promising the return of Serb symbols and institutions. Meanwhile, opposition Serb parties — some seeking to challenge both Kosovo’s institutions and Srpska Lista’s hold, as well as Belgrade’s influence — failed to win enough votes to reach the runoffs.

Feature image: Ferdi Limani / K2.0

Tight races push Kosovo’s local elections into runoffs

Outright victories in 21 municipalities and 17 pending runoffs keep the final party landscape undecided.

Gentiana Paçarizi

Tight races push Kosovo’s local elections into runoffs

Outright victories in 21 municipalities and 17 pending runoffs keep the final party landscape undecided.

Gentiana Paçarizi