2025–2026 Kosovo political deadlock
Failure to elect the Speaker and the Cabinet
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On 9 February 2025, Kosovo held parliamentary elections to choose the 120 members of its Assembly. The largest party in parliament after the election was Vetëvendosje (LVV), who won 42.3% of the vote and was granted 48 seats, 13 short of a parliamentary majority. The largest party is required by law to appoint the new Speaker of the Assembly within 30 days after the results are certified, needing to pass the threshold of 61 votes (an absolute majority).[1][2]
Deadlocks
Assembly deadlock
LVV's proposition for Assembly Speaker is the outgoing Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu. The voting process began on 15 April 2025, and was defeated by a vote of 52–48, with 11 abstentions.[3][4] The meeting was delayed by 48 hours as per Kosovo's legal framework, and the members reconvened again on 19 April. The members did not reach a consensus once more.[5][6] The meeting was delayed more than 40 times as a result of the opposition parties categorically refusing the proposed candidate, which has been called a "deadlock" or "blockade" by all parties. On 26 August, Dimal Basha from LVV was voted as Assembly Speaker on his second proposal with a majority vote of 73 to 30.[7][8]
All parties have accused each other of trying to block the process, and have refused several options, such as the option for a secret ballot which was proposed by lawmakers.[9][10] Haxhiu has said that if a secret ballot goes ahead and she does not receive the required 61 votes, she would withdraw.[11][12] Neither opposition party has proposed its own candidate for Assembly Speaker. The Assembly has also not approved a budget for 2026, increasing tensions.[13]
On 26 June, the Constitutional Court ruled that the deadlock must be ended within 30 days (by 26 July).[14][15] Following the court's decision, President Vjosa Osmani began to meet with party leaders to find an agreement.[16]
The deadlock has been met with symbolic civil protests.[17][18] In one protest on 3 July, the lawyer Arianit Koci gained a lot of media attention after he brought four donkeys in front of the doors of the Assembly, to symbolize "the stubbornness that the Assembly members are showing".[19][20] By 27 July, there were 54 votes in total before the deadline set by the Constitutional Court.[15][21][22]
On 8 August, the Court gave MPs another 30 days to elect a speaker. It however stipulated that no candidate could be proposed more than three times, and that MPs must be present to vote during the sessions. The Court also found that the acting speaker had violated the constitution by continuing to call for a commission to establish a secret ballot.[23][24]
| No. | Candidate | Party | Pro | Against | Abstention | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albulena Haxhiu | VV | 57 | 56 | 3 | 20 August[25][26] |
| 2 | Donika Gërvalla | Guxo | 57 | 56 | 3 | |
| 3 | Hekuran Murati | VV | 57 | 51 | 6 | 22 August[27] |
| 4 | 55 | 46 | 5 | 24 August[28][29][30] | ||
| 5 | Arbërie Nagavci | 55 | 47 | 4 | ||
| 6 | Dimal Basha | 57 | 25 | 24 | ||
| 7 | 73 | 30 | 8 | 26 August[31] | ||
Cabinet deadlock
On 26 October 2025, LVV nominated Albin Kurti as prime minister-designate and presented a proposed cabinet; however, it failed to secure the required 61 votes, receiving only 56 in favor, while 52 deputies voted against and 4 abstained.[32] According to the Constitution of Kosovo, if the proposed composition of the new government does not obtain the necessary majority in the Assembly, the president must appoint a second prime minister-designate. Accordingly, on 19 November 2025, LVV nominated Glauk Konjufca as prime minister-designate and presented a proposed cabinet, but again failed to obtain the required 61 votes, receiving 56 votes in favor, 53 against, and 4 abstentions.[33]
A yellow background indicates the nominee who became part of the cabinet formed in February 2026.[34]
| Portfolio | 26 October nominee | 19 November nominee | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Albin Kurti | Glauk Konjufca | LVV | |
| First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs[a] | Glauk Konjufca | Albin Kurti | LVV | |
| Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice | Donika Gërvalla | Guxo | ||
| Third Deputy Prime Minister for Minority Affairs[b] | Fikrim Damka | KDTP | ||
| Minister of Agriculture[c] | Armend Muja | LVV | ||
| Minister for Communities and Returns | Nenad Rašić | ZSPO | ||
| Minister of Culture[d] | Fatmir Spahiu | Independent | ||
| Minister of Defence | Ejup Maqedonci | LVV | ||
| Minister of Education | Avni Zogiani | LVV | ||
| Minister of Energy[e] | Artane Rizvanolli | LVV | ||
| Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning | Fitore Pacolli | LVV | ||
| Minister for Family and Social Welfare | Andin Hoti | LVV | ||
| Minister of Finance[f] | Hekuran Murati | LVV | ||
| Minister of Health | Arben Vitia | LVV | ||
| Minister of Infrastructure[g] | Dimal Basha | Besnik Bislimi | LVV | |
| Minister of Internal Affairs | Xhelal Sveçla | LVV | ||
| Minister of Local Government Administration | Rasim Demiri | Vakat | ||
| Minister of Public Administration and Digitalisation | Lulëzon Jagxhiu | LVV | ||
| Minister for Regional Development | Sejnur Veshall | PREBK | ||
| Minister of Sport[h] | Blerim Gashani | LVV | ||
| Minister of Trade[i] | Mimoza Kusari-Lila | Alternativa | ||
Presidential election deadlock
Under Article 86 of the Constitution of Kosovo, the Assembly must elect a president no later than 30 days before the end of the incumbent's term.[35] The 2026 election is the sixth presidential election held in Kosovo since independence in 2008. An initial attempt on 5 March 2026 failed because of a lack of quorum, triggering the 60-day constitutional period for electing a president.[36] On 6 March, President Vjosa Osmani dissolved the Assembly and moved toward snap parliamentary elections, but the decree was challenged by Vetëvendosje.[37] On 9 March, the Constitutional Court suspended the decree pending review.[38] On 25 March, the Court ruled that the dissolution decree had no legal effect and gave the Assembly 34 more days, until 28 April, to elect a president.[39] After Osmani's term expired on 4 April, Speaker of the Assembly Albulena Haxhiu became acting president until a new president is elected, for up to six months.[40]
A second attempt to elect the president is scheduled for 27 April 2026.[41] However, the three main opposition parties—the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), and Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK)—announced they would boycott the session, labeling the proceedings a "propaganda show" and "not serious".[42][43][44]
On 28 April 2026, after the Assembly failed to elect a president within the deadline set by the Constitutional Court, it was dissolved in accordance with the Court's ruling. Acting president Albulena Haxhiu subsequently called snap parlimentary elections, which were scheduled for 7 June 2026.[45]
| First round (1st attempt) (5 March) |
First round (2nd attempt) (27 April) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Result | |||
| Glauk Konjufca | Vetëvendosje | No quorum | Feride Rushiti | Independent | 63 | 98.44 | No quorum | ||||
| Fatmire Mullhaxha Kollçaku | Vetëvendosje | Hatixhe Hoxha | Vetëvendosje | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
| Invalid/blank votes | — | Invalid/blank votes | 1 | 1.56 | |||||||
| Total ballots cast | 66 | Total ballots cast | 64 | 100% | — | ||||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 120 | 55.0% | Registered voters/turnout | 120 | 53.3% | ||||||
| Source: [46][47] | |||||||||||
Aftermath
First aftermath
A fresh election was held on 28 December in which Vetëvendosje won nearly a majority in parliament, effectively ending the deadlock as Albulena Haxhiu was voted as the next Assembly Speaker by a majority of 66 lawmakers on 11 February 2026.[48][49] Later that day, Albin Kurti's third cabinet was approved, including nine nominees from the previous failed attempts.[34]