Kosovo's parliamentary election Sunday looked set to usher in a period of uncertainty, with the old guard of former guerrilla fighters in the lead but lacking an outright majority against parties calling for change, according to early results.
The alliance dubbed the "war wing" by Kosovo's media, and led by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) of President Hashim Thaci, won 36.9 percent of votes according to the Democracy in Action NGO, based on 30 percent of the ballots counted.
The coalition's candidate for prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, hailed a "convincing victory" in the parliamentary polls, only the third since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
But it seemed doubtful that he and his allies would reach 51 seats in the 120-member parliament, a level of support that would allow them to govern in coalition with the 10 deputies representing Kosovo's non-Serb minorities, such as ethnic Turks and Roma.
Most of Kosovo's 1.8 million people are ethnic Albanian.
The country's Serb minority also automatically gets 10 representatives in the assembly, but the full distribution of seats would not be clear until Monday or later in the week.
The nationalist left-wing Vetevendojse party, known for its radical methods in opposition such as hurling tear gas in parliament, appeared to double its support since the last election, bagging nearly a quarter of votes in the early results.
- Challenges ahead -
Whoever ends up taking power in Kosovo will have to grapple with numerous crises.
In a country where half of the population is aged under 30, the unemployment rate is officially at 27.5 percent and young people are leaving in droves in search of a better life elsewhere.
Nearly 20 years after the war, political elites in Kosovo are "characterised by crime, corruption and nepotism," according to an assessment by the Slovenia-based International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies.
Overshadowing the vote is a new special court set up to try war crimes allegedly committed by members of the pro-independence Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), which fought Serbian forces in the late 1990s.
Among those some speculate could be on the list of indictees -- which may be announced later this year -- are Thaci and outgoing speaker Kadri Veseli.
The European Centre for Minority Issues, a Germany-based research institute, said the court's arrest warrants "compounded with the political agenda, may severely hamper or even bring about the fall of the future government".
Analysts say the PDK may have pushed for the early election to consolidate its position before the court opens.
Kosovo's relations with Serbia are also tense. EU-brokered talks between the two sides to "normalise" relations, and a deal to grant more autonomy to Kosovo's Serb minority, have stalled.
Although Kosovo's independence has been recognised by more than 110 countries, Serbia still refuses to acknowledge it.
Haradinaj, known as "Rambo" for his military prowess during the war, says the talks should only move forward if Serbia recognises Kosovo -- an unlikely prospect.
Belgrade wants to try Haradinaj for war crimes, and he was held in France for four months earlier this year while French judicial authorities examined a Serbian extradition request.
- 'Had enough' -
Another coalition has emerged around the centre-right LDK party, which has a background of peaceful resistance to Belgrade and is closer to civil society groups.
Its candidate for premier is outgoing finance minister Avdullah Hoti, an economist who has pushed a strongly pro-European platform and been likened to French President Emmanuel Macron.
His alliance was set to win about 26 percent of votes, according to the preliminary results, but could potentially join forces with Vetevendosje, led by former student leader Albin Kurti, although they differ on numerous topics.
While the LDK supports a border demarcation deal with Montenegro -- something the EU has made a prerequisite to dropping Kosovo's visa regime -- Vetevendosje has protested with tear gas against the agreement, saying Kosovo would lose land.
Both parties have promised to tackle rampant corruption, which voters raised as a crucial issue.
"This time I voted for the young generation. I've had enough of the current politicians. I hope we get rid of them once and for all," said Gani Protoptani, a 65-year-old retired high-school teacher.
