Candidates in Kosovo election call for alliance against corruption

Joint ticket of Albin Kurti and Vjosa Osmani proving popular in polling as campaign enters final week

A new political alliance is the only way to tackle a huge wall of corruption" in Kosovo, the leading candidates for prime minister and president have said ahead of elections next week that may for the first time since the Balkan state declared independence deliver a majority to a single party.

The joint ticket between Albin Kurti for prime minister and Vjosa Osmani for president is proving popular in polling as furious campaigning and rallies that show few signs of meeting any social distancing rules enter the final week before the 14 February vote.