The election of Justina Shiroka-Pula and the political agreement that could change Kosovo’s institutional landscape

After months of political clashes and institutional deadlock, Kosovo now has a new president. Justina Shiroka-Pula was elected by the Assembly with 81 votes, thanks to a political agreement that brought together lawmakers from the Vetëvendosje Movement and the Democratic Party of Kosovo.

The decision was made at a critical time, when the country risked once again entering an institutional crisis and heading toward new elections.

The vote began late on October 6 and concluded in the early minutes of October 7. The agreement also included the adoption of amendments to the Law on the Specialist Chambers.

The latest development is seen as a new chapter for Kosovo’s politics, but it has also sparked discussion over whether this cooperation could become the basis for broader coordination among the parties.

Analyst Gani Qarri and publicist Lis Bukuroca gave their assessments of the issue to Bota sot.

Bukuroca: Shiroka-Pula’s mandate could mark the beginning of new institutional cooperation

Publicist Lis Bukuroca sees the election of Justina Shiroka-Pula as a possible turning point toward institutional stability, which, in his view, Kosovo has lacked for around two years.

He stressed that the previous period was marked by political tensions, blockades, prejudice, insinuations and a lack of compromise. According to Bukuroca, the election of the president could give the institutions room to return to work and political dialogue, if the process is also consolidated from a legal standpoint.

Bukuroca recalled that after midnight he had warned that the Serb List might refer the matter to the Constitutional Court, since the procedure began on October 6 and ended on October 7. He also mentioned the complaint filed by Arianit Koci, saying that Kosovo did not need such a situation and that it must now await the Constitutional Court’s interpretation, as the legal issue remains unresolved.

According to him, the uniting of votes in the Assembly sent the message that a broad parliamentary majority exists, even though it was formed under circumstances of political anxiety. Bukuroca believes that, after a prolonged confrontation, the parties found an opportunity to reach an agreement.

He said the proposal was made by Kurti, not Hamza, while describing the draft law—which he believes is unlikely to produce legal effects—as a pretext. According to him, the initial position that any candidate would be voted for if the draft law were adopted was replaced by the claim that one of them had not accepted any option. Bukuroca believes the opposition was afraid of the Confiscation Bureau and that Hamza was put in a difficult position because he did not know how to reject Ms. Shiroka-Pula.

The publicist also praised the fact that a woman with extensive experience in education, science and politics was elected to lead the state. He hopes this will open a new phase of institutional cooperation, stressing that sexism and misogyny are best fought when women hold equal positions and are also represented at the highest levels of the state.

Bukuroca wished President Shiroka-Pula success, expressing hope that her election would mark the beginning of a calmer, more functional and cooperative period for Kosovo.

Qarri: The election of the president ended months of deadlock and uncertainty

Analyst Gani Qarri described the election of Justina Shiroka-Pula as an event of major political and institutional significance. According to him, Kosovo was very close to a new crisis because of the prolonged deadlock.

Qarri said that if the issue had not been resolved on the night of October 6, 2026, Kosovo’s ability to govern and build the state would also have been called into question internationally. He stressed that the presidency is not a party mandate or a personal privilege, but an institution that represents the unity of citizens and the dignity of the Republic.

According to the analyst, the election of the president was an extraordinary political moment that demonstrated maturity and ended months of uncertainty, as well as the nearly two-year deadlock created by unusual disagreements among the main parties.

Qarri said Kosovo was close to holding early elections for the fourth time in less than two years. He added that the lack of consensus and cooperation had conveyed a negative image to friends and international partners, as if the political class were unable to resolve fundamental state and institutional issues.

He recalled that Justina Shiroka-Pula, a distinguished academic, chairwoman of the Kosovo Academy of Sciences and Arts and former economy minister, had been formally opposed by the PDK, which had proposed Eliza Hoxha. Nevertheless, she was elected with 81 votes.

According to Qarri, her collegial, human and moral relationship with representatives of the other parties made her candidacy acceptable to everyone. He wished the president success and expressed hope that she would carry out her duties with dignity, in the service of state-building and Euro-Atlantic integration.

The analyst said that discussions about the voting time and deadlines should not obscure the importance of the result. He referred to the positions of law professor Flamur Hyseni and former Constitutional Court president Enver Hasani, who assessed that the procedure was conducted within the deadlines and that political agreements can also be reached at the end of those deadlines.

Qarri sees no constitutional violation in the process and believes that the election of the president prevented another political and institutional crisis, interrupting the repetition of the same problems. He stressed that Justina Shiroka-Pula is the third woman to hold this office in Kosovo, after Atifete Jahjaga and Vjosa Osmani.

According to him, her election creates an opportunity to address vital issues facing the country and international agreements, as well as to put an end to political disputes and institutional disorder.

Qarri considers this development proof that sincere cooperation among the parties can resolve even issues that appear impossible to solve. He believes the agreement could serve as a basis for bringing the positions of parliamentary parties closer together and for positive developments in the future.

He said critics who look for negative aspects in every development should be ignored, since the election of the president demonstrates that major problems can be overcome through cooperation among the parties.