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How is the president elected?
In Kosovo, the president is not directly elected by the citizens, but by the parliament (120 members of parliament). This means that the election is primarily a politically negotiated process, not a campaign with public debates and a popular vote. There is no election campaign and the negotiation takes place only between politicians.
The current president’s term expires on April 4, 2026, and the presidential elections begin on March 4, 2026.
The president is elected by parliament, with the candidate having to receive 2/3 of the votes of the deputies in the first two rounds (80 votes). If he fails, a simple majority (61 votes) is sufficient in the third round. If there is still no result, the parliament can be dissolved and early elections can be held.
What are the options?
At present, there are no officially announced candidacies for the presidency of Kosovo that have been publicly confirmed by parties or registration bodies.
It is legally permissible for incumbent President Vjosa Osmani to be nominated for a second term. She has not explicitly withdrawn her candidacy and media reports indicate that she herself has not ruled out a potential candidacy.
Parties such as Vetëvendosje (LVV), the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic Union of Kosovo (LDK) have significant parliamentary influence, so their leaders or prominent figures could be nominated.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti met with Bedri Hamza, the leader of the main opposition party – the Democratic Party of Kosovo, to discuss cooperation in selecting a compromise figure for president, but specific names of candidates have not yet been publicly announced.
Lumir Abdijiku, the leader of the LDK, which often plays the role of a “balancer” and could have crucial support in the third round, has not officially announced a presidential candidacy. Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), a party with less parliamentary weight but important in close elections, recently announced that he would not run for president.
If sufficient agreement is not reached between the political forces, the election could prove difficult and lead to a third round in parliament — which often leads to strategic negotiations and “compromise” candidacies.
Albin Kurti will be the winner
However, the decisive word belongs to Albin Kurti, who has so far kept a complete silence on his presidential candidacy, which has opened up room for speculation and rumors. It is obvious that Kurti needs a full loyalist for the presidency who will in no way threaten the consolidation of power he seeks – control over the legislative, executive and presidential branches. The current president, Vjosa Osmani, is the main favorite for the post, but he is not Kurti’s preferred choice. Relations between the two gradually cooled, and this was especially evident when Osmani joined Kosovo to the Trump Peace Council, without any coordination with the prime minister.
Ideally, A. Kurti could settle on a candidate from the Jashari family, which in Kosovo is synonymous with the armed struggle for Kosovo’s independence. Bekim Jashari, former mayor of Skenderaj (Srbica), could fit the profile Kurti is looking for of a candidate with strong moral and patriotic qualities, and could secure a majority.
It is also possible that other presidential candidates will emerge, such as the current foreign minister and former speaker of parliament Glauk Konjufca – a moderate intellectual who, although a senior politician in Vetevendosje, is also liked by some opposition representatives.
The international factor
Although the president in Kosovo has rather representative functions, he represents Kosovo in international relations, plays a role in the dialogue with Serbia, and signs laws and decrees.
The EU and the US are therefore closely monitoring the process, especially as tensions in the region remain high. They are particularly focused on the formation of the Association of Serbian Municipalities in Kosovo – a de facto political autonomy adopted in the Ohrid Agreement in 2023. The newly elected president is also expected to play a key role in this process.
