Abdixhiku Brings LDK Back to the Negotiating Table with LVV, Focusing on Breaking the Political Deadlock

Following the conclusion of the General Assembly of the Democratic League of Kosovo, the party’s reconfirmed leader, Lumir Abdixhiku, announced that LDK would resume discussions on forming the country’s new institutions.

Abdixhiku said the suspension of talks would no longer remain in effect and that his party was now ready to discuss the institutions. According to him, the initial phase of talks with the Vetëvendosje Movement will seek common ground on shared principles, while the issue of posts and the division of responsibilities will be addressed later.

LDK MP Lutfi Haziri expressed a similar position, saying that any potential cooperation with the Vetëvendosje Movement should be based on three main pillars.

Haziri said that a comprehensive agreement based on the “all or nothing” formula was needed first. As a second principle, he listed the state agenda, the governing program and policies for specific sectors, stressing that the interests of the Republic must take priority.

According to the LDK MP, the third pillar concerns clearly defining the responsibilities and roles of the potential coalition partners. He stressed that this division should be formalized through a proper cooperation agreement, as otherwise LDK “sets processes in motion.”

Political analyst Labinot Balaj told “Bota sot” that Abdixhiku’s renewed mandate may have been necessary for LDK’s political repositioning, but that it is not sufficient in itself to establish the institutions.

According to Balaj, developments will not depend on the outcome of the vote at the Assembly, but on the political choice made afterward. He raised the question of whether an exclusionary approach or responsibility toward institutional functioning would prevail.

Balaj said several factions operate within LDK, but two are the most prominent. One is associated with the leadership of Lumir Abdixhiku, who was reconfirmed last night, while the other is represented by influential figures within the party, including Abdulla Hoti, Arben Gashi and Hykmete Bajrami.

He recalled that these figures have spoken out against governing jointly with Vetëvendosje. For this reason, he said, completing the formation of the institutions, particularly the election of the president, faces a real risk.

If opposition to a coalition with LVV also prevails in LDK’s decision-making after the Assembly, Balaj believes Abdixhiku’s reconfirmation will not necessarily ensure that the institutional crisis is overcome. In the most optimistic scenario, he told “Bota sot” that Abdixhiku’s new term as party leader could serve as the beginning of a new political phase for LDK.

Meanwhile, Guxo member Agim Rexhepi said Abdixhiku’s reconfirmation as head of LDK strengthens his political legitimacy and places him in the role of the main interlocutor in any negotiating process for the formation of the institutions.

Rexhepi told “Bota sot” that the renewed mandate from the party gives Abdixhiku greater room to make strategic decisions and reduces the internal pressure he had previously faced.

However, he clarified that this development does not automatically guarantee a coalition between LDK and LVV. According to him, an agreement will depend on the governing program, how institutional responsibilities are allocated and the willingness of both parties to compromise.

Rexhepi noted that recent reports have mentioned contacts between the parties and even an agreement in principle, but stressed that no official confirmation has been provided so far.

Referring to the political deadlock, the Guxo member described an LDK-LVV coalition as one of the strongest options for forming stable institutions. He argued that cooperation between the two parties with the greatest electoral support could create a more functional majority and avert new elections.

In conclusion, Rexhepi told “Bota sot” that the longevity and success of such a coalition would not be determined solely by the numbers in Parliament. According to him, building political trust and reaching agreement on the main issues facing the state would be decisive.