Osmani and women in the campaign: Support of female figures seen as key asset in former President’s election race

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) candidate for president Vjosa Osmani has in recent days introduced several women who joined her even before she officially confirmed her electoral alliance with her former party. It is also notable that, prior to the official start of the election campaign, she directed her messages specifically to women. Analysts interviewed by Kosovo Online believe that one of the reasons for this is the fact that women make up half of the electorate in Kosovo, but also that, by addressing women who once voted for Self-Determination, Osmani is attempting to take away part of Albin Kurti’s voter base and prevent him from securing victory in the elections.

Written by: Katarina Saicic

Among the first women Osmani introduced was entrepreneur Fahrije Hoti, founder of the agricultural cooperative “Krusha,” who had previously spoken openly about the violence she endured during the war. Osmani described her as a “living heroine,” leading some observers to suggest that Osmani is using her profile to broaden her appeal among women affected by the armed conflict in Kosovo.

The introduction of Arjeta Musliu also drew significant attention. After her son died as a result of drug abuse, Musliu dedicated herself to helping people struggling with addiction. Musliu is now a parliamentary candidate, and Osmani awarded her a decoration in 2021 in recognition of her work.

Last week, Jeta Statovci and Albena Reshitaj, former MPs of the Guxo party — founded by Osmani after leaving the Democratic League of Kosovo and later abandoned by her upon becoming president — also joined her campaign. University professor Albulena Bilali likewise joined her ranks.

Attempt to Win Over Part of Self-Determination’s Electorate

Miloš Pavkovic, Director of Strategy at the Belgrade-based Centre for European Policies, believes that women are an important component of Vjosa Osmani’s campaign, as well as a key target group. In a statement to Kosovo Online, Pavkovic said that Osmani’s inclusion of women in the political campaign is a strategic effort aimed both at undecided female voters and women who previously supported Self-Determination.

Pavkovic notes that Osmani’s political activity during her presidential term was also largely focused on women.

“Recall her appearance at the United Nations, when she invited women victims of war to attend the session and sit behind her. She has a history of engagement with the female electorate, and this is clearly a carefully considered political strategy aimed at further addressing and consolidating that voter base, in order to attract as many female votes as possible. The reason is that she sees potential there to shift or take over part of the electorate that traditionally voted for Self-Determination,” Pavkovic said.

Asked whom Osmani is actually addressing and to whom this potential voter base previously belonged, Pavkovic said these are primarily undecided women voters.

“We do not have concrete research that we can cite to establish this precisely. Part of the electorate may belong to Self-Determination, while another part may consist of undecided voters. It is clear that Osmani is targeting that segment of the electorate. These are women who are undecided and who may previously have voted for Self-Determination. She wants to win them over, take them away, and bring victory to the Democratic League of Kosovo,” Pavkovic concluded.

Former Party Colleagues on the Electoral List

Nevertheless, Osmani’s former associates have also proven important to her campaign, as demonstrated by the case of Jeta Statovci. She was an MP in Osmani’s former party and one of the youngest members of the Kosovo parliament, and has now joined her on the LDK electoral list.

Another former party colleague who joined Osmani’s electoral list is former minister Albena Reshitaj. At the end of 2024, she left the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo and joined the Guxo List. Osmani describes her as “a woman of principled positions and stable political convictions.”

Regarding the view that women are Osmani’s principal campaign asset, university professor Nexhmedin Spahiu believes they could prove to be a decisive factor in the election race in favor of the former president.

In a statement to Kosovo Online, Spahiu observed that Osmani is seeking to win the votes of women, fully aware that they make up half of Kosovo’s electorate.

“Osmani is seeking women’s votes. She has a political vision of gathering their support by invoking feminism, considering that women account for half of Kosovo’s voters. Women are also the decisive factor within families when it comes to determining how votes will be cast. This runs contrary to the traditional assumption that men decide where votes go. Things are different now — women are the ones deciding whom the children will vote for, and perhaps even influencing whom their husbands will support in the elections,” Spahiu said.

He added that Osmani’s target group consists of voters who previously supported Self-Determination, as well as those who voted for her in past elections.

“Her goal is to weaken Kurti, so all the individuals she has gathered — a total of 20 people on the LDK list — are important in that regard. This is her strategy to secure as many votes as possible. That electorate previously belonged to Kurti, and she is addressing them in order to challenge him as effectively as possible,” Spahiu concluded.