Opposition Parties Make Gains in Kosovo Election Run-offs

Preliminary results from Kosovo's Central Election Commission, CEC, held good news for the opposition Vetevendosje party and the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK - and for the governing Alliance of the Future of Kosovo, AAK. It was bad night for the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK.

Vetevendosje appears to have won in three municipalities, including the capital, Pristina, where the current mayor, Shpend Ahmeti, looks set to retain his post. The other confirmed wins were in the second biggest city of Prizren and in Kamenica.

Ahmeti appears to have won in Pristina with a very tight result, taking 50.19 per cent of the votes. The runner-up, the LDK's candidate, Arban Abrashi, won 49.81 per cent. However, postal votes have yet to be counted, so the final result is too close to call as yet.  

A surprise win for Vetvendosje came in Prizren, where its candidate, Mytaher Haskukaj, won 50.32 per cent of the votes. The runner-up, Shaqir Totaj, from the PDK, which had governed Prizren for the last three mandates, won 49.68 per cent of the votes.

In the last municipal elections, Vetevendosje won only in the capital, Pristina. This time it is also is going to govern Kamenica, where Qendron Kastrati won with 55.69 per cent of the votes against Shaip Surdulli of the LDK with 44.31 per cent.

Another surprise winner in the local elections is Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj's Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK. In the last elections, it won only three municipalities. Now it has won in seven: Decan, Junik, Gjakove/Djakovica, Klina, Obiliq/Obilic, Suhareke/Suva Reka and Rahovec/Orahovec.

Overall, the LDK won more municipalities than any other party, winning four more municipalities in the second round. On top of the four it won in the...