Political power is not measured only by the number of municipalities won, but also by the size of responsibility each party will bear — that is, by the budget it will govern. Because politics cannot be reduced to “how many municipalities you have,” but rather to how many people — and especially how much money — you actually govern.
By Eugen Cakolli
Even though it is hard to argue this point or convince party fans — some without a profession, some hiding behind fake profiles, others simply unaware of post-election analysis — it is still worth bringing to public debate the question of what really determines political weight in local governance.
Political power is not measured only by the number of municipalities won, but also by the size of responsibility each party will bear — that is, by the budget it will govern. Because politics cannot be reduced to “how many municipalities you have,” but to how many people, and above all, how much money you truly manage.
Simple as that. And yet, for some, I know even this is too much.
Yes, Vetëvendosje has seen the biggest increase in the number of municipalities it won compared to 2021, and now it will govern seven municipalities — the same number as the LDK. But in decentralized systems, the numerical aspect alone does not tell the full story. Otherwise, the Serb List would appear to have the greatest success, having won the most municipalities. And, above all, such results do not necessarily translate into future parliamentary elections.
Simple as that. And yet, for some, I know even this is too much.
According to official municipal budget figures for 2026, the results by major parties set to govern them are as follows:
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LDK → 7 municipalities with a total budget of around €272 million
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PDK → 6 municipalities with a total budget of around €195 million
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LVV → 7 municipalities with a total budget of around €171 million
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AAK → 5 municipalities with a total budget of around €119 million
In other words, the LDK will govern roughly one-third of Kosovo’s total municipal budgets. The PDK and LVV follow with similar weight, while the AAK maintains a steady position, leading mid-sized municipalities with solid budgets.
These are the funds that will be managed, the contracts that will be signed, and the projects that will affect citizens. Measuring influence through this lens — though neither the only nor the ultimate criterion — remains among the most objective ways to analyze political impact at the local level, and as such, is used in many countries.