(AGENPARL) – Mon 13 October 2025 Image
PRESS RELEASE
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Ref. CG063(2025)
Council of Europe Congress welcomes calm, pluralistic and competitive local elections in Kosovo* amid politicisation of institutions.
Strasbourg, 13 .10.2025 – Following an invitation by the Central Election Commission of Kosovo*, a nine-member  election observation delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, led by Dominique Lévêque (France, SOC/G/PD), concluded yesterday its mission to observe the first round of the local elections in Kosovo* which were held on Sunday 12 October 2025. This was the first time that the Congress has observed elections in Kosovo*.
On election day, four Congress teams composed of members from France, Italy, Norway, Poland, Switzerland and Türkiye, were present at 55 randomly selected polling stations from opening to closing and vote counting in various municipalities. This on-site mission was preceded by meetings on 10-11 October with election management and complaints and appeals bodies, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps, the media and NGOs. The delegation also held discussions with political parties and candidates standing in the 2025 elections.
Overall, Congress observers witnessed a calm and well-managed election day, with only minor irregularities such as voters unaware of recent changes in assigned polling stations, the inconsistent sealing of ballot boxes, especially in rural areas, and the under-representation of non-majority communities among polling station commissioners. Additionally, the observers pointed out the inaccessibility of most polling centres for voters with mobility impairments. At the same time, the delegation commended the professional and collegial conduct of the polling station commissioners, assessing that they acted in line with legal provisions and appeared to be well-trained. Information was also available in several languages.
Commenting on the overall mission, Head of delegation Dominique Lévêque stated:
“The revised electoral legal framework, applied for the first time to local elections, provided for a democratic electoral process. The tone of the campaign was largely moderate and respectful, with fewer instances of hate speech and derogatory language between candidates online and in the traditional media, despite an increasingly polarised political landscape at central level.
The overall campaign environment was free and fair, but with some misuse of administrative resources and official positions. Voters, including those from non-majority communities, were provided with a diverse range of candidates, with 93 political entities certified to stand in the local elections and the delegation specifically welcomes the participation of Kosovo Serbs in yesterday’s elections.
On the other hand, we regret the unfortunate initial decisions by the Central Election Commission to reject the certification of Srpska Lista and to initially withhold accreditation from Serbian-language media outlets. Eventually, these decisions were reversed. However, we noted the increasing politicisation of the CEC, an institution otherwise recognised for its technical competency. This is of particular concern. Nonetheless, we stressed the vital role and effectiveness of independent electoral redress mechanisms, such as the Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel and the Supreme Court”.
We can only deplore that the deadlock in the Assembly of Kosovo* had a negative impact on the campaign, partly overshadowing local concerns. Nevertheless, local issues were addressed in the many debates broadcasted in the weeks preceding election day and turnout was comparable to previous local elections. At the same time, the delegation regretted the low number of women mayoral candidates, their marginalisation in media coverage and their underrepresentation as members of the election administration. More needs to be done to promote meaningful participation of women in local democracy, such as better voter education to reduce the high number of assisted voting, which was observed in rural areas.
Finally, we recognise the commitment of Kosovo* to local democracy, including through the explicit reference to the European Charter of local-self-government in the Constitution. We point out that local democracy in Kosovo*, while dynamic and pluralistic, could be reinforced by strengthening local autonomy in a still highly centralised system. Yesterday’s elections might be a step in this direction.”
The information report of the 2025 local elections will be discussed at the Congress Session in March 2026.
*Throughout this document, all reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is an institution of the Council of Europe, responsible for strengthening local and regional democracy in its 46 member states. Composed of two chambers – the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions – and three committees, it brings together 612 elected officials representing more than 130 000 local and regional authorities.
President of the Congress: Marc Cools (Belgium, ILDG), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Regions: Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden, SOC/G/PD).
Political groups: Group of Socialists, Greens and Progressive Democrats (SOC/G/PD), Group of the European Peoples Party (EPP/CCE), Independent Liberal and Democratic Group (ILDG), European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR).
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