Kosovo’s snap parliamentary elections on June 11, 2017, have offered the country an opportunity to move past recent political impasses and reorient political institutions to the pressing needs of its citizens. Continuing a pattern of extraordinary elections, these elections were precipitated by a long-running political crisis set off by the previous parliamentary election, in June 2014. A six-month deadlock over forming the new government led to opposition protests in parliament, some of which turned violent.
Campaigns
This guide aims to identify areas of disconnect between political parties and citizens, and highlights possible areas of party reform. The document includes: key recommendations for reform-minded parties; case studies and personal experiences from party practitioners; and worksheets and critical questions to help parties think through practical applications for the suggestions provided.
On October 17, 2021, Kosovo’s voters went to the polls for the fourth local election in 13 years since independence in 2008. The vote elected the mayors and members of assemblies in 38 municipalities, with the post of mayor changing parties in thirteen municipalities. The Self Determination Movement (LVV) did not capitalize on its support gained in the parliamentary elections in February 2021. The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) won the most mayoral posts and seats in the local assemblies, reversing their decline seen in the February elections.
On February 14, 2021, Kosovo’s voters went to the polls for the fifth parliamentary election in 13 years since independence in 2008 and the second such election in the past two years. The vote elected the Assembly’s 120 members, who then voted for the President and Prime Minister. In these elections, LVV won an historic 50.3 percent of the vote, the first time one party received a majority, ushering in Albin Kurti as prime minister and leading to the election of Vjosa Osmani as president. The majority may offer Kosovo its first full-term parliament since independence.
Democracy, as an ideal of political organization and as a form of coexistence, has historically signaled a demand for greater equality and representation. The contemporary debate on democracy focuses on the capacity or inability of the political system to manage and represent the interests and needs of the population, considering its diversity, as well as the capacity to neutralize the historical structural expressions of inequality and discrimination towards broad sectors of the population.
A step-by-step manual for candidates, political party activists, and campaign staff, the new Campaign Skills Handbook guides users through a comprehensive process for planning and implementing electoral campaigns. The handbook includes 11 modules, with practical worksheets and exercises, covering Political Parties; Leadership; Research, Strategy and Targeting; Voter Contact; Policy; Message Development; Communications Strategy and Skills; Campaign Planning; Mobilizing Resources; and Getting on a List.