For the 21st consecutive time, Kosovo’s Members of Parliament have failed to constitute the ninth legislature following the snap elections held in February.
This continued deadlock has plunged the country into a political crisis, leaving it without a new government more than three months after the elections. Despite calls from both domestic and international actors to move forward with the formation of institutions, lawmakers have yet to make progress.
On Sunday, MPs once again rejected, for the 13th time in a row, the formation of a committee to oversee a secret ballot for electing the new Speaker of Parliament.
The proposal for a secret vote, put forward on May 1 by the session’s acting chair Avni Dehari, followed failed attempts by Vetëvendosje’s candidate Albulena Haxhiu to secure the required 61 votes. Opposition parties from the previous legislature have referred the matter to the Constitutional Court, arguing that Vetëvendosje’s push for a secret vote is unconstitutional. They have requested a temporary suspension of the parliamentary session until the court rules on the issue.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), and the Serbian List once again refused on Sunday to nominate a representative to oversee the secret ballot process.
The constitutive session has been rescheduled for Tuesday, May 27.
So far, MPs have only completed two agenda items: the report by the temporary commission for the verification of mandates, and the swearing-in of MPs. The process remains stalled on the third item — the election of the Speaker.
Haxhiu, Vetëvendosje’s nominee, is seen as a divisive figure by PDK and AAK, who have demanded that a different candidate be proposed. LDK has stated it will not support any Vetëvendosje nominee for the position.
As the winner of the elections, Vetëvendosje holds the exclusive right to nominate the Speaker. The party insists that Haxhiu deserves the post and, despite calls for a political compromise, has ruled out presenting an alternative candidate.
On May 15, following a meeting with political party representatives, President Vjosa Osmani acknowledged the lack of consensus but noted a “minimal willingness” among party leaders to find a solution.
To fully constitute the Assembly, MPs must elect the Speaker and five Deputy Speakers. Only then can a new government be formed.
The crisis stems from the fact that no party won a majority. Vetëvendosje came first with 48 seats — 13 short of the 61 needed to form a government alone. PDK came second with 24 seats, followed by LDK with 20, the AAK–Nisma coalition with 8, and the Serbian List with 9.
On May 20, Albin Kurti said he was open to compromises in forming a government and mentioned potential partnerships with minority groups and the Social Democratic Initiative (Nisma) led by Fatmir Limaj.
During a visit to Pristina last week, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas urged all parliamentary parties to cooperate in overcoming the political deadlock.
Several civil society organizations in Kosovo also called on the parties to reach an agreement, stating that the institutional crisis has “exceeded all acceptable limits” and is damaging not just Parliament, but the functioning of the entire democratic and institutional system.
