In Pristina, the Constitutional Court of Kosovo has called upon the nation’s newly elected Parliament members to resolve the ongoing political deadlock by selecting a new parliamentary speaker within a 30-day timeframe. This directive was issued following a request by 11 lawmakers. The course of action remains uncertain should the lawmakers fail to adhere to the court’s directive.
The stalemate has persisted since April 15, when Parliament first convened, due to a lack of cooperation among parties in working with Albin Kurti’s Self-Determination Movement, known as Vetevendosje!. The left-wing party secured 48 out of 120 seats in the election conducted on February 9, a decrease from its previous 58 seats in 2021. Kurti’s party has been unsuccessful in 37 rounds of voting to garner the essential 61 votes needed to elect a speaker.
In the absence of a speaker, Kurti cannot be formally nominated for the prime minister role, nor can he establish a Cabinet. Should the impasse continue, the president has the option to invite other parties to attempt forming a Cabinet. A failure across all fronts would necessitate another parliamentary election.
None of the major political entities, including Kurti’s party, the center-right Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), which secured 24 seats, the conservative Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) with 20 seats, and the right-wing Alliance for Kosovo’s Future (AAK), with eight seats, have expressed willingness to enter into a coalition. The Parliament also comprises 10 seats each for the ethnic Serb minority and other non-Serb minority representatives.
Forming a new Cabinet is crucial not only for managing the nation’s economy and other vital services but also for advancing the 14-year-long normalization discussions with Serbia, which have been stalling. Kosovo’s municipal elections are slated for October 12.
The 1998-1999 war, which resulted in the loss of approximately 11,400 lives, predominantly from Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian majority, marked the struggle for independence from Serbia. The conclusion of the conflict was facilitated by a 78-day NATO air campaign that ousted Serbian forces. Kosovo proclaimed its independence from Serbia in 2008, gaining recognition from most Western countries, although Serbia, along with allies Russia and China, continues to withhold acknowledgment of its sovereignty.