Ismet Kryeziu from the Kosovo Democracy Institute has criticized the “ten-candidate” voting system used in the last parliamentary elections under the Electoral Law.
Kryeziu argues that the “one vote, one candidate” system is the proper approach.
Full statement:
“These early elections will again provide only a short-term solution – not a substantive solution for our politics and democracy.
The current preferential voting system – allowing up to ten candidates – severely undermines electoral competition and diminishes the intrinsic value of a deputy’s position.
When one vote is divided among ten names, it no longer reflects the citizen’s genuine trust in a candidate, but rather the ability to create ‘tens,’ mobilize mechanically, and manage internal party networks and factions. This erodes individual competition, reduces accountability, enables candidates without real weight, and weakens the overall quality of political representation.
Until the electoral system is changed from the ten-preference vote to a ‘one candidate – one vote’ model, we will never achieve quality political representation. Under this model, deputies are elected not for their vision, integrity, or representation of citizens, but because of internal party groups and deals.”
