STORY: Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti's Vetevendosje Party won more than half of the votes in an election held on Sunday (December 28), opening the way to create a new government after a year-long political deadlock that has paralyzed parliament and delayed key international funding.

Kurti's supporters chanted his name as they celebrated in the streets of Pristina, waving his party's flags as fireworks lit the sky in temperatures of minus-3 Celsius.

The vote is the second this year in Kosovo after Kurti's Vetevendosje Party fell short of a majority in February. Months of failed coalition talks prompted President Vjosa Osmani to dissolve parliament in November and call an early election.

Analysts say it is difficult to predict whether Kurti will be able to form the government on his own without a coalition to secure the 61 seats in the 120-seat assembly. Conditional votes and votes from the Kosovo diaspora in Western European countries have not yet been counted.

The two main opposition parties, the Democratic Party and the Democratic League, were at 21% and at 13.6%, respectively.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: PRISTINA, KOSOVO (DECEMBER 28, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. CARETAKER PRIME MINISTER AND LEADER OF VETEVENDOSJE ALBIN KURTI ON STAGE WITH CROWD OF SUPPORTERS HOLDING FLAGS AND FILMING HIM, AUDIO OF FIREWORKS

2. VARIOUS OF CROWD WITH FIREWORKS GOING OFF, CELEBRATING VETEENDOSJE VICTORY

3. KURTI ON STAGE

4. SUPPORTERS CHEERING

5. KURTI ON STAGE WAVING AND BOWING, AUDIO OF SUPPORTERS CHEERING

6. CROWD OF SUPPORTERS

7. SUPPORTER RECORDING FIREWORKS ON PHONE

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) CARETAKER PRIME MINISTER AND LEADER OF THE VETEVENDOSJE PARTY, ALBIN KURTI, SAYING:

“What made victory possible was our vision and our program. The great and good work carried out over nearly this five‐year period, along with our new commitments that we will fulfil one by one, because we want to serve you.”

9. FIREWORKS / CROWD, WITH SOME SUPPORTERS FILMING FIREWORKS

10. KURTI WAVING AT HIS SUPPORTERS AND WALKING OFF STAGE

11. BILLBOARD OF KURTI IN DOWNTOWN PRISTINA

12. VIEW OF KOSOVO GOVERNMENT BUILDING, FIREWORKS IN DISTANCE