Kosovo's government collapsed Wednesday after it lost a confidence vote in parliament, expected to trigger a snap election after over a year of political crisis in the tiny Balkan country.

The ruling coalition had been strained by growing discord between its two main parties, President Hashim Thaci's centre-right PDK and the conservative LDK of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa.

Under the constitution fresh elections have to be held within 45 days, and the president is expected to call them by the end of the week.