Kosovo’s political crisis continued after parliament failed to elect a new president before the Constitutional Court’s deadline. Because no president was chosen by April 28, the assembly was dissolved and the country must hold snap parliamentary elections in June — the third vote since February 2026.
The impasse stems from Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his Self-Determination (Vetevendosje) movement being unable to agree with opposition parties on a joint presidential candidate. Vetevendosje had won around 5% of the vote in the snap election at the end of December 2025. With parliament dissolved, Kurti’s government, formed only in February, now serves in a caretaker capacity.
Kurti and Vjosa Osmani, who had been president from 2021 until early April 2026, have publicly split. Osmani planned to seek a second five-year term but did not secure Kurti’s backing. Kurti did not directly say he would oppose her; instead he argued he could not guarantee more than 66 votes — those available to his party, coalition partners and non-Serb minority deputies — while electing a president requires at least 80 votes out of 120.
Osmani said Kurti had initially promised support, calling her “the best president of the 21st century,” but later informed her that Vetevendosje and he personally would no longer back her. At an extraordinary session on April 28, Kurti nominated civil-society doctor and human-rights activist Feride Rushiti, but opposition parties boycotted the vote.
Analysts say the alliance between Kurti and Osmani was never wholly natural. Naim Rashiti of the Balkans Policy Research Group called their cooperation an ad hoc electoral arrangement and described both as ambitious and competitive with differing positions, particularly on foreign policy. He said the president often took the lead on international issues without thorough consultation, sometimes serving as a damage-control figure.
Ehat Miftaraj of the Kosovo Law Institute (IKD) described Kurti as the less predictable actor and Osmani as comparatively more cooperative with international partners. Kurti has at times adopted a confrontational posture, raising questions about the coherence and consistency of Kosovo’s foreign policy.
The prolonged lack of institutional stability has slowed reforms required by the European Union and impeded the EU-brokered dialogue with Serbia. Frequent elections demonstrate functioning democratic processes, but analysts warn Kosovo’s capacity to advance strategic interests is limited. Miftaraj said the country is spending more energy managing internal crises than pushing its EU integration agenda, weakening its position in talks with Serbia and diminishing focus on rule of law and reform. With the EU’s new Growth Plan, Kosovo — already lagging in the region — risks losing hundreds of millions of euros in potential financial support.
This article was translated from German.