{"id":121661,"date":"2025-08-14T15:31:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T13:31:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/kush-po-e-kerkon-celesin-e-prishtines\/"},"modified":"2025-09-24T20:51:04","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T18:51:04","slug":"who-will-hold-the-key-to-prishtina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/who-will-hold-the-key-to-prishtina\/","title":{"rendered":"Who will hold the key to Prishtina?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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From experienced politicians to new names, these are the candidates aiming to win the trust of the capital’s residents.<\/b><\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Prishtina is seen as the biggest prize in the race for local government and, as such, draws the most attention during local elections. As the most populous city in the country and the largest institutional, economic, and political center, Prishtina serves as a barometer for measuring a party\u2019s political strength. A victory or defeat in Prishtina often signals broader electoral trends and reflects a party\u2019s national influence.<\/span><\/p>

Political parties treat the race for Prishtina as a strategic priority. The calculations for candidacy begin early, and campaign investments in the capital are typically larger than in any other city.<\/span><\/p>

After the war, Prishtina was governed for 13 years by the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), which held onto the capital for four consecutive terms. Although other parties entered the race in each election cycle, none managed to challenge LDK\u2019s dominance.<\/span><\/p>

That changed in 2013, when the capital\u2019s political allegiances shifted. Vet\u00ebvendosje (VV), with candidate Shpend Ahmeti, overthrew the LDK’s dominance in Prishtina. This marked VV\u2019s first major victory in a key municipality, and it was a decisive moment in the party\u2019s rise as a political force.<\/span><\/p>

Above all, VV\u2019s victory in the capital was seen as a sign that the citizens of Kosovo were ready for change, a trend that would be reflected later at the national level.<\/span><\/p>

Shpend Ahmeti\u2019s win was initially met with great enthusiasm, positioning him as a symbol of a new model of governance. However, that enthusiasm gradually faded and gave way to widespread criticism \u2014 particularly after Ahmeti left VV midway through his second term and aligned himself with the Social Democratic Party (PSD). This split had emerged from a deep internal divide within VV, which saw several key figures break away from the movement. The lack of results during Ahmeti\u2019s time in office and his shift to PSD led to growing disillusionment among many of his former supporters, resulting in a significant drop in public support.<\/span><\/p>

In the 2021 local elections, the LDK returned to power after eight years out of office. It ran a candidate outside its traditional structures, architect P\u00ebrparim Rama, who built a campaign on his international reputation and a vision of governing a complex and politically divided city bureaucracy as, <\/span>in his words<\/span><\/a>, an urban planner and idealist, and not as a politician or as part of the LDK structures.<\/span><\/p>

Meanwhile, VV ran Arben Vitia, one of the party\u2019s most high-profile figures, the former Minister of Health. He was considered the favorite and, in the first round of the elections, secured a 16% lead over Rama. In the runoff, however, the results changed in Rama’s favor. With the support of his competitor, Uran Ismaili from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), who went on to endorse him, Rama managed to overturn the result and win with 51.06% of the votes, returning Prishtina once more under the leadership of the LDK.<\/span><\/p>

Four years later, the race for Prishtina is unfolding with new names and familiar faces. LDK is re-nominating Rama, while PDK has once again chosen Ismaili, who achieved an unprecedented result for the party in the 2021 elections, gaining 21.69% of the total votes.<\/span><\/p>

VV has entrusted its candidacy to the former Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Hajrullah \u00c7eku, while the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has nominated Bek\u00eb Berisha, who ran for mayor of Istog in the last elections. The only woman in the race, Besa Shahini, a PSD candidate, has returned to politics after a period away from public life, launching her campaign in the streets and neighborhoods of Prishtina. Meanwhile, the Alternativa party has nominated Merkur Beqiri, while Fatmir Selimi has also joined the race as an independent candidate.<\/span><\/p>

Candidates running for Prishtina are offering solutions to the same problems that have plagued citizens in previous elections. Issues expected to shape their political programs include crippling traffic and pedestrian-unfriendly infrastructure; deadly winter air pollution and a critical lack of green spaces; the uncontrolled construction boom; soaring rents alongside a large number of vacant apartments; and the ongoing mismanagement of waste and stray dogs.<\/span><\/p>

The local elections are set for October 12, but the unofficial campaign has already begun. K2.0 profiles the candidates seeking to lead Prishtina, their political and professional backgrounds, and the promises they are making to the capital\u2019s citizens.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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P\u00ebrparim Rama<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Hajrulla \u00c7eku<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Uran Ismaili<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Besa Shahini<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Bek\u00eb Berisha<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Merkur Beqiri<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Fatmir Selimi<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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P\u00ebrparim Rama<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t