Analysts assess the agreement on Sejdiu, while the challenge of securing votes remains key

The cooperation reached between the Vetëvendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo to propose Bekim Sejdiu as a candidate for president is being viewed as a positive move toward overcoming the institutional deadlock. However, on RTK’s “Debat” programme, a group of analysts expressed differing views regarding his ability to secure the necessary parliamentary support. Guests Fatime Hajdari, Sadik Zeqiri, Ejup Gojnovci and Ibrahim Shala held an extensive discussion about the agreement, the candidate’s profile and his chances of being elected.

According to analyst Fatime Hajdari, approving the candidate’s name represents an initial stage that has been successfully completed. She said that the two political forces had essentially agreed on Sejdiu, highlighting his extensive career as Kosovo’s former consul in New York, a former member of the Constitutional Court and legal adviser to former President Vjosa Osmani. Hajdari added that, despite recent doubts over whether Sejdiu would accept the offer, it now appears clear that both sides are seriously committed.

However, she stressed that the main challenge remains securing 80 votes in the Assembly. Referring to internal dynamics, Hajdari noted that there are lawmakers, previously known for divisive positions, who could potentially sabotage the entire process. She warned that failure to elect a president would push the country toward new elections, which she described as entirely unnecessary, costly and something that would only waste our time.

Analyst Sadik Zeqiri, for his part, described the agreement as a good one but expressed scepticism about the final outcome. He stressed that with this move, responsibility for the formation of institutions now also falls on the Democratic League of Kosovo. Zeqiri warned that Sejdiu’s candidacy could face resistance in the very first round of voting, recalling statements by several LDK lawmakers who have voiced their opposition. Consequently, he expressed serious doubts that Professor Sejdiu would be elected head of state and predicted that the country would be more likely to move toward a new electoral process than achieve the consolidation of its institutions.

Analyst Ejup Gojnovci pointed out that Sejdiu’s name has enjoyed considerable public support, particularly in the media and on social platforms. According to him, the resistance of some opposition entities is not related to the candidate himself, but to the political process and the agreement as a whole. Gojnovci argued that the opposition’s stance stems from its refusal to accept the Vetëvendosje Movement’s victory and the possibility that Albin Kurti could continue leading the government for another term.

He sharply criticised the prolongation of the institutional crisis, which has lasted more than a year and a half, considering it an indication that political parties are unconcerned about the risks created by the absence of fully functioning government institutions. Speaking about the candidate’s profile, Gojnovci praised Sejdiu’s extensive diplomatic experience, particularly his service at embassies in Turkey and the United States. He stressed that Kosovo has an imperative need for a president with direct connections and, as he put it figuratively, with an open door in the United States of America.

Analyst Ibrahim Shala welcomed the agreement on a joint candidate as positive news, pointing out that this had not been an easy achievement, since the parties had also negotiated over the criteria and characteristics desired in the head of state. He assessed that the candidacy had been well received both by the public and by the opposition, indicating that the right person had been found for the current political constellation.

Regarding the vote in the Assembly, Shala said that lawmakers’ participation in order to secure a quorum was essential. He recalled that complete unity could not be expected even within the LDK, noting that the party had not been monolithic even during the election of its leader. According to him, the coming days would be decisive for gathering the votes, and the leaders of the two parties could give lawmakers space to reflect individually before the session. Despite the challenges, Shala said he was optimistic that the process would conclude with the election of the new president.