Kurti: Possible new elections if we fail to elect a president

Caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti said there is both a theoretical and a practical possibility that Kosovo could go to new elections if it fails to elect a new president, Kosova Press reports.

Four months before the end of Vjosa Osmani’s term, Kurti has been more cautious regarding support for the incumbent president for another five-year mandate.

According to him, the test and indicator of how matters will proceed with respect to the presidency is the adoption of international agreements, which also require the support of opposition MPs.

Kurti said that the Assembly must first be constituted, a government formed, and the budget adopted, and only then should the issue of electing a president be considered.

“If we fail to elect a president, or to re-elect one, and the deadline for that is March 4, and if the 2026 budget is not adopted by then, we cannot even hold new elections. Of course, there is a possibility—not only theoretical but also practical—that we go to elections again if we fail to re-elect the president. But in such a situation we must be prepared, precisely by passing the budget. That is why I say it is not healthy to talk about the fourth step without properly resolving and adopting these first three,” Kurti said.

The leader of the Self-Determination Movement believes it is necessary to meet with Vjosa Osmani to discuss her interest in another term at the helm of Kosovo, noting that securing the presence of 80 MPs in the chamber at the time of the presidential vote is a significant challenge.

“First, we must form the Assembly and the government. We must also vote on the budget. I believe these are the most important steps. So there are three steps before we reach the re-election of the president. And I believe that from these three steps we will see what options lie ahead of us. I have stated that it is important to sit down with the president as well and discuss everything. This meeting is necessary because having 80 people in the chamber is a significant challenge. Consider that last time we could not reach 61, and 80 is a much higher number than 61. While this time we do have 61, we do not have 80. And these international agreements, which we are trying to adopt as soon as possible, I believe can also give us indications of the way forward. But I do not believe it is right or useful to talk about the fourth step without seeing these first three,” Kurti said.

Speaking about the possibility that opposition parties—particularly the Democratic League of Kosovo—might remain in the plenary hall during the presidential vote, Kurti said he does not know what positions the opposition parties will take in the coming weeks and months.

“Honestly, I don’t know. This year, 2025, with the blocking and barricading approach of the opposition parties, has surprised even me. If someone had told me a year ago that 2025 would turn out the way it has, it might have seemed very unlikely or unbelievable. But here we are. That is why I do not know what positions the opposition parties will take in the coming weeks and months. It is clear that neither international agreements nor the re-election of the president—the election of a president—can be adopted without opposition MPs. In the meantime, on December 28 the people removed the blockades related to the constitution of the Assembly and the formation of the government,” Kurti said.