The digital space has become one of the main arenas for political communication and the shaping of public opinion in Kosovo. Online media and social media platforms provide citizens with rapid access to information and opportunities to interact directly with political representatives. At the same time, however, these platforms are increasingly being used to spread disinformation, hate speech, and personal attacks, which disproportionately affect women engaged in political life.

Women politicians face not only criticism of their political positions and public activities, but also attacks targeting their gender, appearance, morality, families, and private lives. In many cases, substantive debate is replaced by derogatory labeling, insinuations, patriarchal stereotypes, and false narratives. These forms of digital violence undermine women’s authority and credibility, making their participation in public life more difficult and less safe.

This is the fourth periodic report published by the Democracy for Development Institute (D4D) as part of its monitoring of the treatment of women politicians in the digital space. Through this series of reports, D4D seeks to continuously track trends, narratives, and forms of digital attacks against women in politics, as well as how these patterns evolve across different periods of political developments.

The report analyzes how women politicians in Kosovo were represented, discussed, and treated in online media and on social media during the May–July 2026 period. The monitoring period covers the election campaign, the June 7 elections, and post-election developments, all of which generated high levels of media coverage, public engagement, and discussion. This makes the period particularly important for understanding how heightened political attention affects women’s exposure to attacks and manipulative content.

Combining quantitative and qualitative analysis, the report examines the volume and trends in media coverage, public engagement, and the prevalence of hate speech in online comments. A total of 150,103 comments were analyzed, of which 13,320, or 9% were classified as hate speech. The report also examines specific cases of false, sensationalist, and gender-based content targeting women politicians, identifying the narratives and techniques used to delegitimize them.

The report aims to contribute to a better understanding of the risks women face in the digital space and to encourage greater accountability among the media, political parties, public institutions, and technology platforms. Protecting women from disinformation and digital violence is not only a matter of individual safety and dignity, but also of the quality of democratic debate and ensuring equal participation in politics.