Kosovo faces institutional stagnation as post‑election talks demand compromise

International diplomats warned that Kosovo risks institutional stagnation after the 7 June parliamentary elections if political forces do not reach a compromise. Former British minister Denis MacShane stressed that a lack of cooperation could deter investors and undermine Kosovo’s European agenda, while former diplomat Daan Everts lamented the absence of the post‑war spirit of cooperation and called for shared ground to build functional institutions.

Former head of the Constitutional Court Enver Hasani argued that the president must be elected before a government can be formed, citing the constitution and recent court rulings. He criticised the low voter turnout—about 725 000 voters, roughly 200 000 fewer than the previous election—and described it as a systemic disappointment. The preliminary results gave Vetëvendosje 42.9 % of the vote (48 seats), the Democratic Party 21.1 % (24 seats), the Democratic League 17.6 % (20 seats) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo 7.2 % (8 seats), plus 20 seats reserved for minority communities.