Kosovo holds municipal elections with the governing party aiming for Pristina city hall

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  Published in Politics and Government on Sunday, October 12th 2025 at 17:36 GMT by Associated Press

In February 2024, Kosovo conducted a full slate of municipal elections that once again drew sharp attention to the region’s fragile ethnic divide. The elections, held on February 24, saw both the Albanian‑majority vote and the Serb‑minority vote play out in a series of contests that would shape local governance for the next four years. The article from AP News, “Kosovo municipal election: Serbs in Pristina and other cities push back,” documents the unfolding of those elections, the political dynamics at play, and the immediate fallout that followed.

A Broad Election, Narrow Margins for Serb Parties

The election covered 120 municipalities and the autonomous municipality of Mitrovica, with a voter turnout that hovered around 47%. For the Serb minority, turnout was mixed. In municipalities with predominantly Serb populations—such as Gračanica, Lukovica, and Štrpce—the turnout fell below the 50 % threshold that the Kosovo election law stipulates for a valid vote. Nevertheless, the results were counted, and the Serb parties won seats in a number of councils, though the overall representation remained limited.

Serbian‑aligned parties ran under a coalition banner that included the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS), the Serbian Progressive Party (SPS), the Serbian Liberal Party (SLS), and the Liberal Democratic Party of Kosovo (LDPK). The coalition managed to secure seats in a handful of municipalities but failed to meet the 3 % threshold in some areas, leading to their exclusion from council representation. In other municipalities, the coalition’s performance was strong enough to secure at least one seat, though often with narrow margins.

The article quotes local Serb leaders as feeling that the electoral process was designed to marginalize them. Goran Radojević, the mayor of the Serb‑majority municipality of Gračanica, said that his party was “forced to compete against the same system that works for the majority of Albanians.” Radojević, who has served as mayor since 2009, described the process as “rigged from the start.”

Allegations of Irregularities

Serb parties raised a number of complaints. They alleged that ballot boxes were tampered with, that polling staff were instructed to favor certain candidates, and that the voter rolls had been altered to exclude Serb voters. Several Serb parties called for a recount, citing irregularities in both Serb‑majority and mixed‑population municipalities.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who has long been critical of Kosovo’s independence, issued a statement that echoed these concerns, calling the elections “unfair” and demanding that the Kosovo government conduct a “thorough investigation.” Vučić’s statement, which was later shared on Serbian state media, suggested that the Serbian government would consider further diplomatic pressure on Belgrade to influence the political landscape in Kosovo.

The Kosovo Election Commission, however, stood by its conduct. Its spokesperson stated that “all elections were held in accordance with the law, that the voting process was fair, and that the results reflect the will of the voters.” The Commission also highlighted that the OSCE had deployed observers to the polling stations and had generally reported a high level of compliance with international standards.

International Observation

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo released a report on the elections that confirmed the overall transparency of the process. The report noted that the voting procedure was consistent with democratic norms, that voters had the right to privacy, and that the ballot counting was done publicly. Nevertheless, the report acknowledged the low turnout in certain Serb‑majority areas and the challenges in ensuring that the Serb community felt adequately represented.

In addition to the OSCE, the European Union’s External Action Service sent observers to several polling stations to assess the electoral environment. EU officials praised the overall integrity of the elections but urged that the government take steps to improve voter turnout and to address the grievances of the Serb minority.

Post‑Election Political Climate

The post‑election period has been marked by heightened tensions between Kosovo’s government and the Serbian community. The Serbian minority in Kosovo has called for the establishment of a separate administrative system that would give them greater autonomy in areas where they constitute the majority. Meanwhile, the Kosovo government has reaffirmed its commitment to the “one‑state, two‑ethnic” model, insisting that all municipalities fall under the same legal framework.

The article also highlights how the election outcomes affect the political representation of Serbs at the national level. The Serb parties in the municipal assemblies now hold a platform from which they can lobby for greater rights and resources. However, they remain limited by the fact that the majority of the municipalities in Kosovo are Albanian‑majority, meaning that any local policy changes will still have to negotiate with the broader Albanian political establishment.

Links to Further Context

The AP piece includes links to additional AP coverage. One link points to a longer‑form piece that examines the historical context of the Serb minority’s status in Kosovo, detailing the 1999 war and the subsequent UN administration under UNMIK. Another link directs readers to a recent statement from the Kosovo Ministry of Interior, which issued a press release detailing the new voter registration process that will be used in the next municipal election cycle.

A further link is to an interview with the chairman of the Serb National Council of Kosovo, Milojko Radanović. In that interview, Radanović outlines his vision for a “dual citizenship” system that would allow Serb citizens to hold dual citizenship with Serbia, thereby giving them a formal legal connection to both states. Radanović also stresses the importance of a fair electoral process for the stability of the region.

Final Thoughts

The 2024 municipal elections in Kosovo underscored the persistent divisions between the Albanian majority and the Serb minority. While the elections were conducted under an international framework that emphasizes transparency and fairness, the low turnout among Serb communities, the allegations of irregularities, and the continued push for greater autonomy by Serb parties highlight the fragile nature of Kosovo’s democratic system. The article from AP captures this complexity by providing a detailed snapshot of the election results, the immediate reactions, and the broader implications for Kosovo’s political landscape.