The people of Kosovo are electing a new parliament on Sunday for the third time in 16 months.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s left-wing party, Vetevendosje (Self-Determination), remains the clear favourite.
Polling stations are set to close at 7 pm (1700 GMT) and initial results expected later on Sunday evening.
The electoral commission in Pristina said turnout stood at 18.6% at 1 pm, 3.2 percentage points lower than at the same time during the last parliamentary election in December 2025.
That election - also a snap vote - was called because Kurti was unable to form a government due to the balance of power in the parliament elected in February 2025.
Kurti's Vetevendosje, along with lawmakers from ethnic minority groups secured a majority in December's election and managed to form a government. However, on April 4, the term of office of the incumbent president, Vjosa Osmani, expired.
Parliament's attempts to elect a successor within the required timeframe then failed, prompting new elections.
The main opposition forces are considered to be the liberal Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the centre-right Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). Ten of the 120 parliamentary seats are reserved for the Serbian ethnic group and a further 10 for other minorities.
The election of a successor to Osmani remains the task of the future parliament, requiring the presence of 80 of the 120 lawmakers during the vote.
As this quorum is out of reach for Vetevendosje and its partners alone, a consensus with opposition parties is required.
With no sign of such a consensus emerging so far, the small Balkan country risks falling into a cycle of regular parliamentary elections.
