Kosovo heads to polls to elect a new government

It is the second time in one-and-a-half years that parliamentary elections are going ahead.

About 1.8 million eligible voters started to cast their votes as nearly 2,400 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time.

The 120 members of the Assembly of Kosovo will be elected by open list proportional representation, with 20 seats reserved for national minorities. An electoral threshold of 5% is in place for non-minority parties.

To form a government, a party or coalition must have a majority of 61 MPs out of 120 seats in the Assembly of Kosovo.

Initial results are expected late Sunday evening after polls close at 7 p.m. (18:00 UTC). (ILKHA)