Poll: Kosovo’s Parliamentary Elections – Will Serbs in the North Cast Their Votes?

As the end of the year approaches, attention is turning to the upcoming parliamentary elections in Kosovo, scheduled for February 9, 2025. Though the official campaign has yet to begin, the election process is already stirring debate, particularly among Kosovo’s Serb community, which has boycotted the last two voting processes. With the election date drawing nearer, the question remains: will Serbs in the northern part of Kosovo participate this time?

According to a recent online poll conducted by the KoSSev portal, there seems to be a growing willingness among Serbs to vote, with a slight majority expressing their intent to head to the polls. However, a significant portion of respondents still remains undecided, and a considerable percentage insists on maintaining their boycott stance.

The 24-hour poll offered participants four options: “Yes,” “No,” “If told to,” and “Undecided yet” The results, which came from nearly 700 votes across social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), reveal some interesting insights into the community’s current sentiment.

On Instagram, 40% of respondents (141 individuals) stated that they would vote, while 35% (124) indicated that they would not. A further 19% (64) were undecided, and 6% (21) said they would vote only if instructed to do so.

On X, 41.7% (35) of voters said they would cast their ballot, with 32.1% (27) against voting. Meanwhile, 21% (18) were still undecided, and 4.8% (4) said they would vote if told to.

The results on Facebook mirrored those on Instagram and X, with a significant portion of respondents expressing their intention to vote, though a notable group remained adamant about abstaining.

Public Opinion: A Divided Response

The online conversation sparked by KoSSev’s poll shows a deeply divided public opinion. On one hand, some citizens have publicly supported participating in the elections, while others continue to call for a boycott, reflecting the ongoing political tension in the region.

Comments varied from enthusiastic support for voting to staunch rejection of participation.
Some users expressed confidence that voting was necessary to challenge the current government, with one comment stating, “We will vote for Srpska Lista, it’s the only option to stop Kurti’s terror.” On the other hand, others voiced strong opposition, with one user declaring, “Never for the so-called Srpska Lista.”

There were also questions raised about the legitimacy of the election itself, with some users asking, “For whom should we vote?” and others explicitly rejecting the idea of voting for parties they see as aligned with the current Kosovo government.

Amid these polarized views, a few respondents indicated support for smaller parties, such as “For Freedom, Justice, and Survival,” led by Nenad Rašić, Kosovo’s current Minister for Communities and Return.

A Cross-Community Debate

Interestingly, the KoSSev poll also garnered attention from other communities, including Albanians and Serbs from central Serbia. One commenter pointed out that the previous boycott of local elections in northern Kosovo had allowed the Albanian community to seize control of key municipalities with minimal support. The commenter warned that abstaining from voting could lead to further political losses for Serbs in the region, urging, “Mistakes in politics are costly. Think for yourselves… and good luck.”

A Complex Political Landscape

As Kosovo heads toward its parliamentary elections, the situation remains complex. A total of 28 political parties registered for the upcoming elections, including five representing Serb communities. The Serb community, particularly in the North, has faced significant political turmoil since pulling out of Kosovo’s institutions in November 2022, following which they also boycotted local elections and a referendum on the removal of Albanian mayors. While many now express a readiness to vote, political divisions remain as strong as ever.