The constitution states that the presidential election must be held on or before 30 days prior to the end of the current president's term. This will be the sixth presidential election in Kosovo since 2008, when Kosovo declared its independence.
An initial attempt to hold the election took place on 5 March, but concluded without a successful vote due to a lack of parliamentary quorum. As the first round of voting has commenced, a 60-day constitutional deadline to elect a new president has officially been triggered; failure to do so within this timeframe will result in the dissolution of the Assembly and early parliamentary elections.[1] In response to the stalled process, the ruling Lëvizja Vetëvendosje submitted a request to the Constitutional Court of Kosovo seeking a temporary suspension of the election deadlines.[2]
Background
The incumbent president of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, took office on 4 April 2021[3] and her term is due to end on 4 April 2026.[4] Osmani would be eligible for re-election for a second and final five-year term in 2026.[5]
On 4 March 2026, the day the Assembly of Kosovo was expected to convene for the presidential election session, the ruling Vetëvendosje (LVV) parliamentary group officially proposed Glauk Konjufca as their candidate for the presidency.[6] Following the nomination, the President of the Assembly, Albulena Haxhiu, called an urgent press conference to address the latest developments.[7] At the time, no other political parties had put forward a candidate. In an attempt to ensure a competitive process, LVV offered the signatures of its own MPs to assist opposition parties in nominating an alternative candidate, expressing confidence that the political gridlock was surmountable.
However, LVV's unilateral nomination of Konjufca was met with strong opposition from the other parliamentary groups. The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) heavily criticized LVV's approach, stating that previous cross-party meetings were intended to find a unifying, consensual candidate. The LDK accused the ruling party of treating the election as a political race rather than an effort to reach a consensus, warning that this behavior risked missing constitutional deadlines and sending the country into early parliamentary elections.[8] The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) also refused to back the proposal; senior official Bedri Hamza declared that the PDK would not provide any votes for the president without a prior political agreement.[9] Furthermore, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) condemned the move, with representative Besnik Tahiri accusing the parliamentary majority of attempting an "institutional coup."[7]
The political deadlock escalated further into a public clash between the ruling party and the incumbent President, Vjosa Osmani. During a press conference, LVV parliamentary chief Arbërie Nagavci claimed that the party had offered Osmani 30 MP signatures to allow her to formally run as a candidate alongside Konjufca, but stated that Osmani had refused the offer.[10] This claim was promptly denied by the Presidency, which issued a statement calling Nagavci's assertion a "lie."[11] Despite the live denial from the President's office, Nagavci doubled down, publicly guaranteeing LVV's votes for Osmani's nomination if she wished to run.[12] Additionally, LVV spokesperson Arlind Manxhuka challenged Osmani's chief of staff to visit the party headquarters to collect the signatures, escalating the institutional rift.[13]
The Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, stated that she cannot call a session to elect the president without having at least two candidates.[14] Haxhiu warned that if no second candidate emerges, Kosovo could enter a constitutional crisis, as the constitution does not specify what happens if the president is not elected 30 days before the end of Osmani's current term.[15]
Proposed constitutional amendments
On 5 March, 2026, which marked the final day legally permitted to hold the presidential election session, the political deadlock took an unexpected turn. Citing the ongoing failure of the parliament to elect a president and the looming threat of an institutional crisis, incumbent President Vjosa Osmani submitted a proposal to the Assembly of Kosovo to amend the Constitution of Kosovo.[16] These amendments, which had been originally drafted back in 2011 by the Commission for Constitutional Amendment, aimed to completely alter the country's electoral system so that the president would be elected directly by a popular vote of the citizens, rather than by a parliamentary vote.[17] Osmani publicly urged all political parties to back the initiative to overcome the political stalemate.
The ruling Vetëvendosje (LVV) party immediately supported Osmani's initiative. Arbërie Nagavci, the head of the LVV parliamentary group, expressed full backing for the transition to a direct election, stating that it would increase the democratic legitimacy of the presidency and strengthen institutional stability.[18] The proposal was hastily forwarded to the parliamentary Committee on Legislation, which approved the amendments with six votes in favor from LVV members and two votes against from the opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK).[19] PDK representatives strongly criticized the move, with MP Përparim Gruda calling the rapid procedure unconstitutional and arguing against the sudden revival of the outdated 2011 drafts.[20]
Following the committee's approval, an urgent plenary session of the Assembly was scheduled for the evening of 5 March at 20:00 to vote on the constitutional changes.[21] However, amending the Constitution of Kosovo is a highly complex process that requires a double two-thirds majority: it necessitates the support of at least 80 out of the 120 total MPs, as well as at least 14 out of the 20 MPs representing non-majority communities.[22] This stringent constitutional requirement made the passage of the amendments highly unlikely. The Serb List, a political party representing the Kosovo Serb minority which holds 10 of the reserved non-majority seats, reportedly informed diplomatic sources that they would not vote in favor of the changes.[23] The Assembly of Kosovo failed to vote on the proposed constitutional amendments, as only 93 members of the Assembly were present in the chamber, which was insufficient for proceedings.[24]
Electoral system
Initially, a candidate is required to receive at least 80 votes, equivalent to two-thirds of the 120 members of the Assembly, in order to be elected.[5] However, if no candidate succeeds during the first two rounds, a third round is held between the top two candidates of the second round, and the requirement is reduced to a simple majority of 61 votes.[5][25] If the third round also does not produce a successful candidate, the Assembly is dissolved, with new elections to take place within 45 days.[5]
Article 86 states that the election of the President shall take place no later than 30 days before the end of the current president’s term of office.[5] Additionally, Article 82 also states that the Assembly will dissolve if they do not elect a President within 60 days from the date of the beginning of the president’s election procedure.[26] With the inaugural voting session having convened on 5 March, this 60-day countdown has been officially activated.[1]
Following the unsuccessful parliamentary session on 5 March due to a lack of quorum, Lëvizja Vetëvendosje formally petitioned the Constitutional Court of Kosovo to impose a temporary measure suspending these strict constitutional deadlines until the court issues a final judgment.[27] The party argued that the intentional obstruction of the quorum by members of parliament who refused to participate constitutes a constitutional violation. In their request, they asked the court to mandate that all deputies have a binding obligation to participate in the presidential vote—whether voting in favor, against, or abstaining—to prevent the country from being forced into early legislative elections due to political blockades.[28]
Candidates
Confirmed
On 3 March, according to media in Kosovo, Prime MinisterAlbin Kurti is expected to nominate Glauk Konjufca for president.[29] On 4 March, Vetëvendosje nominated the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Glauk Konjufca, for President of Kosovo.[30]
On 5 March, Vetëvendosje also nominated its second candidate, Fatmire Mullhaxha-Kollçaku,[31] who received 34 signatures for her candidacy.[32]
On 1 January 2026, the current President, Vjosa Osmani, announced that she would seek the confidence of the Members of Parliament for a second term. In her statement, she emphasized her commitment to continuing the institutional reforms she has initiated and to further strengthening democracy, the rule of law, and Kosovo's international standing.[33]
On 5 March, the lawyer Arianit Koci, who was a harsh voice during the 2025 Kosovo political deadlock, asked to be nominated as a candidate for president, without seeking votes from anyone, but with the sole aim of avoiding the crisis and the possible elections that could occur if the president is not elected.[34]
Individuals who have expressed an interest in running for Kosovan Presidential Election
On 3 March 2026, media outlets reported that publicist and former politician Veton Surroi is being reconsidered as a potential candidate for president.[36]
On 3 March 2026, media outlets reported that the PDK has considered proposing surgeon Shqiptar Demaçi, the son of activist Adem Demaçi, as a potential candidate for president.[37][38]
On 4 March 2026, media reported that VV has considered proposing Andin Hoti, the son of activist Ukshin Hoti, as a potential candidate for president, reportedly offering the PDK the opportunity to support his nomination.[39][40]
On 4 March 2026, media outlets reported that the PDK had proposed Justina Pula, President of the Academy of Sciences and Arts, as a potential candidate for president. However, both Pula and PDK leadership later denied the claims.[41][42]
On 4 March, media speculation also increased that the former President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, could be a consensual candidate for president, as she may be eligible to serve a second term.[43]
On 23 February 2026, Kosovar-American businessman Harry Bajraktari (born Hajdar Bajraktari)[45][46] denied media reports claiming that he was lobbying to become President of Kosovo. He described the allegations as untrue and stated that he continues to support President Vjosa Osmani and has not expressed interest in running for president.[47]
On 25 February 2026, Murat Jashari of the Jashari family stated that neither he nor any other family member is interested in becoming President of Kosovo.[48] Bekim Jashari also reiterated this position, stating that he had nothing to add to Murat Jashari’s remarks and dismissing any speculation about a presidential candidacy.[49]
On 26 February 2026, former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj stated that he is not a candidate for president and does not have the 30 out of 120 signatures required to nominate him.[50]
On 26 February 2026, former Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Arsim Bajrami[sq; pl], announced his candidacy for president and addressed the leaders of the Albanian political parties to seek their support.[51] On 4 March, Bajrami withdrew his candidacy, considering that both parties, PDK and VV, were not interested in a consensual candidate.[52]
Lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) walked out of the parliamentary session, preventing the quorum required to elect the new President of Kosovo.[53]Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) announced it would not participate in the voting process. LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku stated that Kosovo was heading toward a new election cycle, effectively ensuring the lack of a required quorum.[54] With the opposition parties boycotting the vote, Vetëvendosje and its coalition partners were the only deputies left in the parliamentary session, barely meeting the minimum quorum required to hold the session.[55] However, since the quorum to elect a president wasn't met in the Kuvendi, the session that was intended to elect the President of Kosovo was suspended.[56]
↑"New President or Elections – Opposition Refuses to Provide Signatures for Second Candidate". RKS. 5 March 2026. Archived from the original on 5 March 2026. Retrieved 5 March 2026. She explained that according to the Constitution, elections are triggered if no candidate receives 61 votes in the third round, or if a president is not elected within 60 days after the procedure begins. However, since the procedure has not formally started yet, the deadline has not begun to run. If the process extends beyond 6 March, the Constitution does not clearly specify what happens, because it only states that the president should be elected 30 days before the end of the current mandate.
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