Kosovo Election Could Be Prelude to Power Tussle

The coalition of three parties - the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, and the Initiative for Kosovo, NISMA, is being predicted to win the most votes in Sunday's elections, but not enough to establish an administration.

"I expect the result to be such that none of the entities can get a majority to create a government alone," political analyst Imer Mushkolaj told BIRN.

Petrit Zogaj from the NGO FOL also thinks there will be another contest after election day.

"Obviously, the biggest race will be seen after the June 11 elections, when government mathematics needs to be done," Zogaj told BIRN.

This would not be the first time that Kosovo has seen drawn-out post-election wrangling.

Following the 2014 general elections, the country entered a six-month-long deadlock with none of the two biggest parties - the LDK and PDK at the time - being able to form a government.

Eventually, in December 2014, the longtime rivals formed a joint government after LDK signed a power-sharing agreement with the PDK; the government was formed as a matter of urgency as Kosovo needed to approve a budget for 2015.

Bajrush Morina, another Pristina-based analyst, told BIRN that the PDK-AAK-NISMA coalition is facing major internal divisions, with each party leading a separate campaign, which may have an impact on its level of support at the polls.

"June 11 will not be decisive for any coalition or party," Morina predicted.

"[Opposition party] Vetevendosje will hold the key to creating the institutions [of government]," he added

The main opposition Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party has seen a boost in its popularity in recent years.

This came as a consequence of the many compromises...