Pristina looks like a collage of pictures. Everywhere on the street lamps there are posters with smiling faces of politicians. They are on Sunday Kosovo elections that are finally regular. Nowhere in Europe is the population as young as in Kosovo, writes Deutsche Welle.
However, the campaign is dominated by themes originating from a time that most residents do not even remember - relations with Serbia and alleged threats from Belgrade.
The left-wing nationalist government under Prime Minister Aljbin Kurti, for its part, faces opposition from the EU and the US because it does not want to be forced into "deals" with Serbia, but insists on Kosovo's sovereignty - from license plates to the abolition of the dinar.
Besarta Jašari (21) has other concerns. The journalist, who works for the private radio and television station RTV 21, is standing in the center of Pristina, not far from the large picture of Ibrahim Rugova, who died in 2006. Above all, she wants social change.
"Here, the lack of work and low wages force people to emigrate," she says. "The health care system also needs to be improved, as too many people have to travel abroad for treatment." And finally, I would like girls and young women to have more opportunities," she says.
He looks around and points to many election posters. "Politics is always dominated by the same old figures, with little room for young voices who bring fresh perspectives and progressive ideas." "Even in these parliamentary elections, no party trusted a woman to run for prime minister," says Jashari.
The first regular elections after a long time
On the one hand, there are regional and geopolitical problems of the country, which dominate the front pages of domestic and foreign media. On the other hand, there is also the perspective of many people in the country, especially the younger ones, who have been longing for change for a long time.
The elections in Kosovo are the first regular elections since the declaration of independence in February 2008. From then until 2021, only early elections were held.
120 deputies are elected, of which ten seats are reserved for Serbs and another ten for other minorities.
The 2021 parliamentary elections marked a turning point for the Self-Determination movement under the leadership of Aljbin Kurti, a former student leader and political prisoner under Serbian President Slobodan Milošević. The 50-year-old is once again targeting the absolute majority.
Radical change of course
Since 2021, Kurti has made a U-turn in foreign policy. All previous governments have acted exclusively in coordination with Washington in particular - which Kurti sees as "colonial" politics. He acts largely independently of the West.
Kurti's main concern is the implementation of full sovereignty of Kosovo with all its symbols in relation to Serbia and emancipation from the powers that protect Kosovo.
The EU-moderated "dialogue" has been going on for almost fourteen years, but those talks were on hold for a long time, and now they practically don't exist.
However, for many people in the country, especially the youth, the issues making the headlines are not the main concern – but poor socioeconomic conditions.
For example, unemployment in the age group up to 24 years is about 33 percent. Corruption remains a major problem, even though Kurti and his party won elections four years ago with a strong anti-corruption agenda.
Exodus of Kosovars
Political scientist Nejmedin Spahiu sums up the mood: "Young people have no patience to wait for the country to develop." They want secure jobs and a society in which they are judged on merit, not on party affiliation or closeness to the authorities."
This can be confirmed by Lea Hoxhaj (18) from Pristina, who studies applied economics and management. He can vote for the first time this year.
"People in power should create new jobs, support young people and ensure better equipment of the education system, both with qualified teachers and teaching materials."
If those to whom Lea Hoxhaj addresses do not hear such voices, Kosovo could soon face an even more serious problem than the conflict with Serbia and the international community: an increasing exodus from the country.
As a result of the long-awaited visa-free regime with the countries of the European Union, which will be in force from the beginning of 2024, the already small number of inhabitants is further reduced, and the average age of those who remain is increasing. This means that young people are leaving the country.
