MCC Votes & Seats Podcast – Election insight

Kosovo’s June 2026 parliamentary election was held amid a prolonged institutional crisis and following two previous votings within 18 months. The election did little to alter the political balance, while voter turnout and overall political engagement declined significantly, reflecting widespread fatigue and institutional deadlock.A central issue was the unresolved presidential election, for persistent disagreements between the ruling Vetëvendosje party and the opposition prevented a compromise. The campaign focused less on policy and more on accusations of obstruction.Our guest analysts, Mr. Mehdi Sejdiu from Heidelberg University highlights the opposition’s difficulty attracting younger and female voters, while Vetëvendosje continues to benefit from strong support among these groups. Mr. Sejdiu argues that a consensual presidential candidate from outside the major parties might potentially offer the most viable path out of the crisis…Participants:Mehdi SejdiuPolitical Scientist, Heidelberg UniversityBálint L. TóthHost, Researcher/Lecturer, MCC Center for Political ScienceWith the help of guest experts and politicians, in the podcast series of MCC’s Centre for Political Science we endeavor to analyze which actors are the real winners of the parliamentary and municipal elections taking place this year in different European countries and what exactly can be considered a real victory after the ballot counts.

According to Mr. Grigoryan, the 2026 Armenian parliamentary election took place in a transformed geopolitical environment following Azerbaijan’s 2023 takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh, the displacement of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians, and progress toward a draft peace treaty in 2025.The expert claims that the campaign focused on national security, the peace process with Azerbaijan, economic performance, corruption, governance, and Armenia’s geopolitical orientation. The government also highlighted alleged coup attempts and arrested several prominent figures.Three parties entered parliament. The outcome was widely seen as a renewed mandate for Prime Minister Pashinyan, who reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to closer EU ties while continuing to balance relations with Russia-led institutions.If you want to learn more about how support for different political forces was distributed across the country, the demographic makeup of the electorate, and the issues that mattered most to Armenian voters during the campaign, tune in to the latest episode of Votes & Seats!Participants:Armen GrigoryanCo-founder & President, Center for Policy StudiesBálint L. TóthResearcher, MCC Center for Political ScienceWith the help of guest experts and politicians, in the podcast series of MCC’s Centre for Political Science we endeavor to analyze which actors are the real winners of the parliamentary and municipal elections taking place this year in different European countries and what exactly can be considered a real victory after the ballot counts.

In this episode, Dr. Bálint L. Tóth sits down with Dr. Katia Mihailova of the University of National and World Economy in Sofia to unpack the far-reaching implications of Bulgaria’s 19 April 2026 legislative election—an unprecedented 8th snap vote since 2021. Against a backdrop of political crisis, corruption scandals, rising living costs, and allegations of vote buying, the conversation explores what the results reveal about Bulgaria’s shifting political, social, economic, and cultural landscape. The discussants examine the internal dynamics and external influences shaping the outcome, from regional party strongholds to the voting preferences of different social groups. At the heart of the discussion is Dr. Mihailova’s striking argument that this election may have broken the long-standing “silence of the voters,” signaling an end to political apathy and a possible turning point for Bulgarian democracy. What emerges is a compelling analysis of an election that matters not only for Bulgaria’s future, but for understanding broader transformations across Europe.With the help of guest experts and politicians, in the podcast series of MCC’s Centre for Political Science we endeavor to analyze which actors are the real winners of the parliamentary and municipal elections taking place this year in different European countries and what exactly can be considered a real victory after the ballot counts.