4 minutes agoAP: Election without winners deepens political fragmentation in Kosovo
Periskopi(8 months ago)
(8 months ago)Preliminary results from the weekend municipal elections in Kosovo showed that most of the major municipalities are heading towards the runoff, highlighting the country's continuing political fragmentation and underlining continued tensions in Kosovo relations, writes the Associated Press. Most of the main Albanian municipalities, including the capital Pristina, seemed yes [...]
Most of the main Albanian municipalities, including the capital Pristina, appeared to be heading towards a runoff, according to preliminary results released Monday. By contrast, all Serb majority municipalities, except for one, were won by the Serbian List of dominant parties viewed as closely linked to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
About 2.1 million voters in the small Balkan nation voted for mayors Sunday in 38 municipalities and for about 1,000 seats in municipal councils. Election officials said the preliminary turnout was 40%, less than four years ago and compared to parliamentary elections earlier this year.
According to the Central Election Commission, 21 municipalities will pass into a runoff that will be held on November 9th, as no candidate has secured more than 50% of the vote, the threshold required to win in the first round.
Preliminary results for mayoral races show that Prime Minister Albin Kurti's left-wing Vetevendosje party (or “Vevendosje! ”), won only three municipalities, while most other victories went to the centre-right opposition parties.
The weekend vote was held as Kurti's party also faces the challenge of forming a new cabinet, and the lack of decisive victories suggests a difficult road forward in that direction.
The lack of a government cabinet is harmful to the country, as it requires greater involvement by the European Union in developing its economy and in helping the road to EU membership.
The local elections were held just two days after the Kosovo Parliament ended an eight-month political stalemate, concluding the election of its full leadership, including a representative from the ethnic Serb minority.
On Saturday, the prime minister in office was officially tasked with forming a new cabinet within 15 days of a complicated process further due to the results of Sunday's local elections, as the main opposition parties have so far refused to enter coalition talks.
Kosovo's independence remains a hot spot in the Balkans. About 11,400 people were killed, mostly ethnic Albanians, in the 1998 1999 war, which ended after a NATO air campaign expelled Serb forces. While most Western countries recognise Kosovo's citizenship, Serbia is backed by Russia and China. /Periscope/
