Kosovo’s deepening political impasse persisted on Thursday, as lawmakers failed once more to elect a parliamentary speaker, stalling the formation of a new government.
During the May 1st session, 77-year-old Avni Dehari of the Vetëvendosje (Self-Determination) movement, currently serving as acting chair, suggested that the vote for speaker be held by secret ballot.
However, the motion did not pass, falling short of the required 61 votes. It was blocked by the three leading opposition parties along with the “Serb List,” which represents Kosovo’s ethnic Serbian population in the north. Without a speaker in place, the legislature remains unable to officially begin work or establish a functioning government. This marks the ninth consecutive failure to launch the new parliamentary session.
A follow-up session is scheduled to occur within 48 hours, on May 3rd.
The current stalemate stems from the February parliamentary elections, in which Vetëvendosje—led by acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti—fell short of winning a majority.
Opposition leaders claim Kurti’s party no longer has sufficient support to push through a speaker candidate or form governing institutions. They have also rejected Vetëvendosje’s nomination of Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu for the speaker role.
This prolonged deadlock is unprecedented in Kosovo’s political history since declaring independence in 2008. The European Union has previously called on Pristina to resolve its internal disputes.
