Kosovo’s Election Chaos Exposes Fragile Democracy and Threatens Regional Stability

In a troubling development highlighting the fragility of democratic institutions in the Western Balkans, Kosovo authorities arrested 109 individuals linked to alleged vote manipulation during the December parliamentary elections. This move follows a full recount ordered amid widespread irregularities, threatening to extend a political deadlock already straining state functionality. The scale of the alleged fraud is staggering: prosecutors in Prizren cite falsification involving over 68,000 ballots within just one municipality, underscoring systemic flaws rather than isolated incidents. Despite a modest national turnout of 44% from nearly two million eligible voters, these irregularities cast a shadow over Kosovo’s electoral integrity and...