Could AAK be the solution if votes for Sejdiu fall short?

LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku’s statement that six MPs from his party will not support Bekim Sejdiu for president of Kosovo has increased uncertainty over securing the votes needed to elect the head of state. The statement comes at a sensitive political moment, when the presence and vote of every MP could help avert another institutional deadlock.

In light of this development, it remains unclear whether opposition from LDK MPs could prevent Sejdiu’s election and whether, in the absence of sufficient votes or a quorum, the parties should consider other political alternatives.

One possibility is reopening communication with the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo. Its leader, Ardian Gjini, previously said that AAK would help secure a quorum for the election of the president if the six points proposed by the party were accepted.

Gjini wrote on Facebook that on June 26, 2026, he had made public AAK’s offer to support the establishment of Kosovo’s new institutions. According to him, the Alliance is ready, without conditions or personal demands, to help establish a quorum for the election of a president, whether male or female, if the nominee tasked with forming the government accepts the six points in its offer.

Political analysts have offered differing assessments of the developments, viewing them as crucial to overcoming the institutional crisis. One approach involves negotiating with AAK to guarantee a quorum so that the presidential process does not fail and the country does not head to new elections.

The other approach considers it difficult to elect a president before extraordinary elections and sees the formation of a broad political coalition as the solution.

Qarri: AAK uses destructive propaganda but refuses dialogue

Political analyst Gani Qarri told “Bota Sot” that the position of the six LDK MPs could lead Kosovo toward new early elections. According to him, such a scenario would also have serious consequences for LDK itself.

Qarri described these MPs as problematic, disruptive and inclined to push the country into new elections at any cost. He said elections would make the situation unpredictable, particularly for LDK, which, according to him, could fall to a single-digit percentage and descend into political and internal party chaos.

The analyst warned that a new electoral process would not only deepen ideological divisions but could also cause LDK to split into small branches and factions. He attributed primary responsibility for this development to the six MPs he described as the party’s “musketeers,” saying their internal rebellion risks sending Kosovo to early elections, blocking the institutions and preventing stable governance.

According to Qarri, LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku has also highlighted who bears responsibility for the situation. He stressed that Abdixhiku had publicly announced that six party MPs would not vote even for Professor Dr. Bekim Sejdiu, although his name had been put forward as a consensus proposal and request by LDK itself and had also been accepted by the acting prime minister and leader of the country’s largest party.

Qarri claimed that these MPs, encouraged or enticed by forces outside the party, are also putting at risk the breakup of LDK, which has traditionally been seen as an institution-oriented party. He added that, beyond the risk of insufficient votes to elect Sejdiu, the MPs could also prevent the required number of members from being present in the chamber to establish a quorum.

He also recalled developments from last year, when LDK had rejected LVV’s coalition offers. According to him, accepting at least one of the offers would have avoided the need to hold two rounds of early elections, which once again failed to resolve the political problem.

Qarri warned that if the six LDK MPs cause new elections, citizens could become so disappointed that they push the party close to the electoral threshold. He said that, in such a case, LDK might no longer find parties willing to offer it a governing coalition or political cooperation to establish the institutions and jointly govern the country.

Regarding the current situation, the analyst said the position of the LDK MPs risks preventing Bekim Sejdiu from securing the votes needed to become president. He called on other opposition MPs to remain in the chamber to guarantee a quorum even if they do not vote. In this way, according to him, Sejdiu could be elected by a simple majority of 61-63 votes, secured by the winning party and MPs from non-Serb communities.

According to Qarri, such a solution would pave the way for the formation of stable institutions and stable governance emerging from Kosovo’s 11th consecutive legislature and holding a full mandate in the Republic of Kosovo. He proposed that, in the country’s interest, talks also be held with AAK MPs to avoid early elections and another institutional crisis, of which, according to him, the people of Kosovo have grown weary.

Qarri said Bekim Sejdiu meets the requirements, particularly those of LDK, describing him as an institution-oriented candidate, a defender of the law and the Constitution, a guarantor of national values and state-building, as well as a nonpartisan figure with a proven record and principles similar to those of LDK.

He said this situation gives LDK an opportunity to demonstrate its willingness to resolve the political crisis. Otherwise, given that early elections would be harmful and unnecessary, Qarri said responsibility for prolonging the political deadlock, institutional blockages and the country’s problems would rest with that party.

Finally, Qarri was also critical of AAK and its refusal to attend meetings called by acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti. He described the party’s statements as unclear because, according to him, it refuses to sit down with Kurti to discuss its six points while engaging in loud and destructive propaganda by saying that it has nothing to discuss with him.

The analyst added that this position makes it difficult to understand how dialogue with AAK’s leaders could take place. He raised the possibility that Ardian Gjini may be seeking intermediaries or “political matchmakers,” but said such a form of communication would convey more personal calculations than the parties’ actual positions and would make it more difficult to reach an agreement with AAK if it refuses to engage in direct dialogue with the winning party.

Burjani: The crisis should be overcome through a broad coalition

Political analyst Blerim Burjani told “Bota Sot” that LDK should act in accordance with its own political interests. He does not expect the president to be elected before extraordinary elections are held.

Burjani said it is difficult to believe that LDK would vote to preserve VV’s hold on power, as such an action, according to him, would have no political justification. For this reason, he called on LDK to focus on its own interests rather than supporting other parties.

He does not believe that the president will be elected before extraordinary elections and said Abdixhiku should no longer insist on the issue, which, according to him, should be approached from a different perspective.

As a way out of the situation, Burjani proposed that Kurti make concessions and join the other opposition parties in forming a broad-coalition government with a two-year term. According to him, such a government would allow the country to consolidate its state relations and advance Kosovo’s European integration agenda.

Burjani stressed that the country needs a broad coalition and that the parties should set aside their grudges and egos to form a joint government.

Under his proposed arrangement, the presidency would go to LDK, the prime minister would come from VV, PDK would receive the post of deputy prime minister, while AAK would also have a deputy prime minister.