Politics in Kosovo
Monday, October 19, 2026
Politics · Analysis · Developments
With 99 votes, Parliament calls for institutional actions regarding the sentencing of Speciale
The Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo has adopted with 99 votes in favor the declaration concerning the decision of the first instance of the Specialized Chambers against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi.
In the declaration, the Assembly, as a “representative institution of the citizens and expression of their democratic will”, expresses deep concern about the decision and considers it a conclusion regarding the existence of an unacceptable common criminal purpose.
The Assembly calls on all state institutions of the Republic of Kosovo to take all necessary actions to protect the truth and purity of the Kosovar people's liberation war.
“The Assembly demands the drafting of a joint state strategy, within which legal, institutional and diplomatic actions are coordinated to protect and confirm the full historical truth about Kosovo’s just war for freedom and liberation,” the declaration says.
The document also mentions the context of the 1998-1999 war.
“In Kosovo during the years 1998-1999, the existence of a joint criminal enterprise aimed at expelling Albanians from Kosovo has already been confirmed by the decisions of the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, against the political, military and police leaders of Yugoslavia and Serbia. It was implemented through the structures of a state that had an army, police and other instruments of power under its control. This is the historical and judicial context that must remain clear whenever the war in Kosovo is discussed,” he continues.
The Assembly demands that the Specialized Chambers “respect the mandate in accordance with the will of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo”.
In the declaration, the Assembly also rejects “any attempt to overturn Kosovo’s historical truth, to cast doubt on its liberation war, or to equate the people who fought for freedom and survival with the regime that oppressed them”.
“The truth of the liberation war, justice for the victims and their families, and the right of the convicted to a fair trial belong to the same Republic. The Assembly will protect all three without compromise,” the declaration concludes.
In the declaration, the Assembly, as a “representative institution of the citizens and expression of their democratic will”, expresses deep concern about the decision and considers it a conclusion regarding the existence of an unacceptable common criminal purpose.
The Assembly calls on all state institutions of the Republic of Kosovo to take all necessary actions to protect the truth and purity of the Kosovar people's liberation war.
“The Assembly demands the drafting of a joint state strategy, within which legal, institutional and diplomatic actions are coordinated to protect and confirm the full historical truth about Kosovo’s just war for freedom and liberation,” the declaration says.
The document also mentions the context of the 1998-1999 war.
“In Kosovo during the years 1998-1999, the existence of a joint criminal enterprise aimed at expelling Albanians from Kosovo has already been confirmed by the decisions of the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, against the political, military and police leaders of Yugoslavia and Serbia. It was implemented through the structures of a state that had an army, police and other instruments of power under its control. This is the historical and judicial context that must remain clear whenever the war in Kosovo is discussed,” he continues.
The Assembly demands that the Specialized Chambers “respect the mandate in accordance with the will of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo”.
In the declaration, the Assembly also rejects “any attempt to overturn Kosovo’s historical truth, to cast doubt on its liberation war, or to equate the people who fought for freedom and survival with the regime that oppressed them”.
“The truth of the liberation war, justice for the victims and their families, and the right of the convicted to a fair trial belong to the same Republic. The Assembly will protect all three without compromise,” the declaration concludes.
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Abdixhiku: LDK Withdraws from Any Request for Positions, Is Not a Decoration and an Alibi for Failure
Pristina – The leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, has announced that his party is withdrawing from all requests for institutional positions and will not seek participation in the government, emphasizing that the LDK's priority is to overcome the political crisis and functionalize Kosovo's institutions.
In a statement after the meeting of the LDK's parliamentary group, Abdixhiku said that the offer for the party's inclusion in the government, with a limited number of ministers, was not acceptable to the LDK, as it did not reflect the party's political weight and the will of the citizens expressed in the elections.
However, he emphasized that the LDK does not want the requests for positions to become an obstacle to the constitution of the institutions.
“The LDK withdraws from all requests for positions and takes on the responsibility to contribute beyond political gain, in avoiding the current crisis”, Abdixhiku said.
He announced that the LDK is giving up its request for participation in the government, including ministerial positions.
“We don't want any ministers, let the Self-Determination Movement take them all”, he declared.
According to Abdixhiku, the LDK is also withdrawing from the request for the chairmanship of the Assembly and will not condition the institutional process with the taking of any position.
A central part of Abdixhiku's statement was the election of the President of the Republic. He said that the LDK is ready to participate in the process of electing a president who, in his opinion, should represent the unity of the citizens and protect the Constitution and the interests of the Republic of Kosovo.
“We are ready to negotiate with full conviction for the election of a president who protects the interests of the Republic and its Constitution, who represents the unity of the people”, Abdixhiku said.
He emphasized that for this process, the LDK does not seek positions or political compensation, but sets criteria for the figure to be elected as head of state.
Abdixhiku requested that the president should not be a partisan figure, but a president of the entire Republic of Kosovo.
“Let's elect him together, all the political parties of Kosovo, a president who protects the Republic and the Constitution”, he expressed.
Abdixhiku said that the Self-Determination Movement should take responsibility for forming the government if it does not see the need for the LDK's inclusion.
“The Self-Determination Movement should form the government with the deputies of its coalition, let it have all the executives, as they have requested. The LDK will not take the condition they want”, he said.
However, according to him, there are two paths: either an agreement for institutional stability is reached, or the country enters a new political crisis.
He warned that the refusal of any democratic compromise could lead the country towards new elections.
The leader of the LDK said that his party has chosen “the Republic before positions, stability before party interest and dignity before formal participation”.
He said that the LDK's goal has not been to take positions “at any cost”, but to exercise public and state responsibility in a period when Kosovo, in his opinion, needs a clear Euro-Atlantic direction, economic development, and political stability.
Abdixhiku also criticized the statements of Self-Determination officials against the LDK, saying that they have damaged the trust between potential partners.
According to him, coalitions are not built only on numbers and the division of positions, but on respect, trust, and equal treatment.
In a statement after the meeting of the LDK's parliamentary group, Abdixhiku said that the offer for the party's inclusion in the government, with a limited number of ministers, was not acceptable to the LDK, as it did not reflect the party's political weight and the will of the citizens expressed in the elections.
However, he emphasized that the LDK does not want the requests for positions to become an obstacle to the constitution of the institutions.
“The LDK withdraws from all requests for positions and takes on the responsibility to contribute beyond political gain, in avoiding the current crisis”, Abdixhiku said.
He announced that the LDK is giving up its request for participation in the government, including ministerial positions.
“We don't want any ministers, let the Self-Determination Movement take them all”, he declared.
According to Abdixhiku, the LDK is also withdrawing from the request for the chairmanship of the Assembly and will not condition the institutional process with the taking of any position.
A central part of Abdixhiku's statement was the election of the President of the Republic. He said that the LDK is ready to participate in the process of electing a president who, in his opinion, should represent the unity of the citizens and protect the Constitution and the interests of the Republic of Kosovo.
“We are ready to negotiate with full conviction for the election of a president who protects the interests of the Republic and its Constitution, who represents the unity of the people”, Abdixhiku said.
He emphasized that for this process, the LDK does not seek positions or political compensation, but sets criteria for the figure to be elected as head of state.
Abdixhiku requested that the president should not be a partisan figure, but a president of the entire Republic of Kosovo.
“Let's elect him together, all the political parties of Kosovo, a president who protects the Republic and the Constitution”, he expressed.
Abdixhiku said that the Self-Determination Movement should take responsibility for forming the government if it does not see the need for the LDK's inclusion.
“The Self-Determination Movement should form the government with the deputies of its coalition, let it have all the executives, as they have requested. The LDK will not take the condition they want”, he said.
However, according to him, there are two paths: either an agreement for institutional stability is reached, or the country enters a new political crisis.
He warned that the refusal of any democratic compromise could lead the country towards new elections.
The leader of the LDK said that his party has chosen “the Republic before positions, stability before party interest and dignity before formal participation”.
He said that the LDK's goal has not been to take positions “at any cost”, but to exercise public and state responsibility in a period when Kosovo, in his opinion, needs a clear Euro-Atlantic direction, economic development, and political stability.
Abdixhiku also criticized the statements of Self-Determination officials against the LDK, saying that they have damaged the trust between potential partners.
According to him, coalitions are not built only on numbers and the division of positions, but on respect, trust, and equal treatment.
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Kosovo
LVV Leads with 42.91%, but the Race for Second Place Remains Open
LVV Leads with 42.91%, but the Race for Second Place Remains Open
With all 2,498 polling stations processed, Kosovo’s preliminary parliamentary election results show that the Self-Determination Movement (LVV) remains the largest political force in the country, although with a significantly lower result compared to the parliamentary elections of December 2025.
According to the latest data, LVV has secured 299,152 votes, or 42.91 percent of the vote, remaining the leading party but recording the largest decline compared to the December 28, 2025 elections, when it received 49.34 percent. The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) ranks second with 147,325 votes, or 21.13 percent, remaining largely unchanged from its 20.98 percent result in 2025.
The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) has posted the strongest growth, rising to 17.59 percent from 13.57 percent, while the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has increased from 5.66 percent to 7.16 percent. Meanwhile, the Serb List has secured 43,071 votes, representing 6.18 percent of the votes counted so far.
Based solely on the votes counted within Kosovo, the current composition of the Assembly would be projected approximately as follows: • LVV: 43–45 seats • PDK: 21–22 seats • LDK: 18–19 seats • AAK: 7–8 seats
However, the final outcome remains open due to diaspora votes, which have historically favored LVV more strongly than voters inside Kosovo. In previous elections, support for LVV among the diaspora has been estimated at over 60 percent.
In a scenario where President Vjosa Osmani exerts a strong influence on diaspora voting patterns, LDK could secure as much as 36 percent of the diaspora vote, while LVV’s share could decline to around 44 percent.
Under such a scenario, the final nationwide result could approach: • LVV: 47–48% • PDK: around 22% • LDK: 22–23% • AAK: 7–8%
The corresponding seat distribution could be: • LVV: 48 seats • PDK: 21–22 seats • LDK: 22 seats • AAK: 8 seats
Such a result would significantly narrow the gap between PDK and LDK and could create a very close contest for the position of the second-largest party in the Assembly.
The election appears to be telling two parallel stories. On one hand, LVV has experienced a decline compared to its 2025 result. On the other hand, LDK has recorded the strongest growth among the major Albanian parties and could further strengthen its position if diaspora votes prove more favorable than in previous electoral cycles.
The final composition of the Kosovo Assembly will depend on the official counting of diaspora votes, conditional ballots, and the final allocation of mandates. While LVV is expected to remain the largest parliamentary group, the race for second place and the broader political balance remain very much open.
With all 2,498 polling stations processed, Kosovo’s preliminary parliamentary election results show that the Self-Determination Movement (LVV) remains the largest political force in the country, although with a significantly lower result compared to the parliamentary elections of December 2025.
According to the latest data, LVV has secured 299,152 votes, or 42.91 percent of the vote, remaining the leading party but recording the largest decline compared to the December 28, 2025 elections, when it received 49.34 percent. The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) ranks second with 147,325 votes, or 21.13 percent, remaining largely unchanged from its 20.98 percent result in 2025.
The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) has posted the strongest growth, rising to 17.59 percent from 13.57 percent, while the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has increased from 5.66 percent to 7.16 percent. Meanwhile, the Serb List has secured 43,071 votes, representing 6.18 percent of the votes counted so far.
Based solely on the votes counted within Kosovo, the current composition of the Assembly would be projected approximately as follows: • LVV: 43–45 seats • PDK: 21–22 seats • LDK: 18–19 seats • AAK: 7–8 seats
However, the final outcome remains open due to diaspora votes, which have historically favored LVV more strongly than voters inside Kosovo. In previous elections, support for LVV among the diaspora has been estimated at over 60 percent.
In a scenario where President Vjosa Osmani exerts a strong influence on diaspora voting patterns, LDK could secure as much as 36 percent of the diaspora vote, while LVV’s share could decline to around 44 percent.
Under such a scenario, the final nationwide result could approach: • LVV: 47–48% • PDK: around 22% • LDK: 22–23% • AAK: 7–8%
The corresponding seat distribution could be: • LVV: 48 seats • PDK: 21–22 seats • LDK: 22 seats • AAK: 8 seats
Such a result would significantly narrow the gap between PDK and LDK and could create a very close contest for the position of the second-largest party in the Assembly.
The election appears to be telling two parallel stories. On one hand, LVV has experienced a decline compared to its 2025 result. On the other hand, LDK has recorded the strongest growth among the major Albanian parties and could further strengthen its position if diaspora votes prove more favorable than in previous electoral cycles.
The final composition of the Kosovo Assembly will depend on the official counting of diaspora votes, conditional ballots, and the final allocation of mandates. While LVV is expected to remain the largest parliamentary group, the race for second place and the broader political balance remain very much open.