The end of the almost year-long government crisis is in sight in Kosovo. Prime Minister Kurti's party received a convincing 50 percent in the elections - with a little help from the diaspora.
Supporters of Albin Kurti and his left-wing nationalist party "Self-Determination" celebrated their election victory in Pristina with brass bands and fireworks. Many of them came from the diaspora - from Switzerland and Germany, who used the winter vacation to arrive in their homeland to vote, writes ARD.
According to many opponents of Kurti, this is unfair - they accuse him of deliberately prolonging the government crisis and delaying the early elections, as he knew that he could count on strong support among Kosovo Albanians from the diaspora.
Extremely high increase in votes
Indeed, the increase in the votes cast for Kurti is serious: after receiving 42 percent in the previous elections in February, he now received 50 percent.
It follows that the government crisis that has lasted more than ten months may be over. Because Kurti will no longer be dependent on the three major opposition parties from the liberal and center-right camps.
Cooperation with the opposition will be necessary
Kurti was naturally extremely pleased with his victory. "Let me first thank the citizens of Kosovo and all our institutions for organizing free, democratic and fair elections." His party emerged a bigger winner in these elections than in the previous ones.
Kurti also said: "I would be happy to cooperate with the opposition on several international agreements that have not yet been concluded and for which we will need a two-thirds majority". Among these agreements are 880 million euros from the EU Growth Plan and 120 million euros from three contracts with the World Bank.
Kurti will depend on the votes of minorities
Kurti, however, will not be able to govern alone, the German public media notes. Because in Kosovo, a party that receives 50 percent does not automatically receive half of the seats in parliament: 20 of the 120 seats are reserved for the country's minorities.
Ten seats are reserved for Kosovo Serbs, another ten are for other minorities - Bosniaks, Turks or Roma. To form a government, Kurti will need several seats from the minorities. Kosovo Serbs are out of the question, since during his rule Kurti closed Serbian administrative structures in Kosovo and has occasionally ordered police attacks on Serbs. But MPs from other minorities are expected to be inclined to cooperate, the ARD predicts.