Citizens’ connection with politics hit the lowest level in 2016. Amidst a fierce political battle, citizens had lost trust on the declining parties but were still reluctant to trust the emerging Vetëvendosje party. This year, there is a slight decrease compared to 2019.
Urban voters, women, young people, the unemployed who are not actively seeking employment, and voters with above-average income feel less connected to politics. Perhaps Kosovo is not as clientelist as the popular belief portrays given that those working in the private sector turned out to be most politicized. Of those who associate themselves with AAK, nine/tenth feel very close, highest of all political parties (PDK 71%, VV 67% and LDK 56%).
It is positive that there are fewer party fans than before and the percentage of citizens who do not feel close to any party has also decreased. Politics has become about the personalities involved and less about issues and program, which is a negative trend.
Compared to 2012, more voters today choose the party of their choice based on their affinity for leaders and fewer pick because of the national interest. The advent of Vetëvendosje seems to be behind the increase in the rate of respondents that choose the party due to the leader (34% in 2023 compared to 27% eleven years ago).
Fewer Kosovars see the quality of the party program as important in favor of those who appreciate the quality of the team, the candidate list or regional representation.
On the day of the survey (June 2023), 58% of respondents declared they would certainly vote and the trend was higher among men (2/3) than women (half), although the remaining part of women stated they would go out to vote, but are not sure. Voters from rural areas are more willing to vote, as are the elderly.
The youngest age group seems to be most patriotic (voting in Kosovo’s interest), the 25-34 age-group cares about the quality of the program, middle-aged respondents care about the quality of the team while the elderly see the leader as the most important. Better educated voters tend see regional representation as important.
Most LVV and AAK voters have chosen their party because of the leader. PDK voters support their party because of the quality of the team while LDK was chosen because of the quality of the program. AAK and PDK are more trusted by those who want representation of their region, while LVV and LDK enjoy more evenly-distributed support.
Support for professionally proven candidates has declined. In 2012, 23% of citizens declared they had quickly selected 5 names on the ballot, but this has since dropped significantly, which marks an improvement and greater care in selection. Urban voters cherish professional credentials while rural voters prefer candidates to be from their place of residence.
Women solidarity has been the reason for the vote for every fifth woman. But women feel less connected to political parties. Two fifths of women vote for women and respect the leader’s suggestion for candidates less than men. This makes women a better target for parties which want to increase their constituency.
