Kosovo is once again close to a new political deadlock after the quorum of 80 MPs required for the election of the president was not secured. The proposed candidate, Bekim Sejdiu, did not even receive full support within the LDK, pushing the country closer to new elections than to an institutional solution.
Sejdiu does not pass, key votes are missing
On August 31, Lëvizja Vetëvendosje and the Democratic League of Kosovo proposed Bekim Sejdiu, a former judge of the Constitutional Court, as their candidate for president. But on Tuesday, the attempt ran into the lack of support from six LDK MPs.
As seen in the vote, this was not simply a technical obstacle. The failure to secure a quorum highlighted that the agreement between the two political forces is not automatically translating into real votes in the chamber.
Kurti insists the agreement remains in force
Despite the failure, Albin Kurti is maintaining that the political pact with the LDK has not collapsed. According to him, there will be further meetings and gatherings, while the agreement continues to be considered valid.
This means that the Vetëvendosje leader is aiming for another contact with LDK chairman Lumir Abdixhiku, in an effort to save a formula that so far has not produced the minimum result: a quorum.
Abdixhiku speaks of new elections
On the other hand, Lumir Abdixhiku’s position is clearly harsher. According to the LDK leader, the refusal to vote for the candidate proposed by his party has also determined the country’s fate, sending Kosovo toward new elections.
His reaction also showed dissatisfaction with the six LDK MPs who did not back Sejdiu, making the crisis not only inter-party, but also an internal political problem for the LDK itself.
Two paths for Kurti, but allies are missing
According to analyst Arbnor Sadiku’s assessment, the current situation brings Kosovo closer to elections than to a new agreement on the president. He believes everything depends on how Kurti chooses to steer the crisis.
The two options mentioned are these: either to push the country immediately into elections, or to seek additional votes through negotiations with specific MPs, even by changing the candidate. The problem for Kurti is that the door to cooperation with the PDK remains closed, while the Alliance has set six conditions, including acceptance of the American gas project. Without fulfilling these conditions, their help in electing the president does not appear to be on the horizon.
Kosovo held its most recent snap elections on June 7, after it had also failed at the beginning of the year to elect a new president.
Now, with an agreement that on paper is claimed to exist, but in practice does not secure the votes, the scenario of yet another return to the ballot box is becoming increasingly credible.