Kosovo parliament approves Kurti cabinet by 62 votes as presidential deadlock persists

Government vote and assembly boycott

Kosovo lawmakers voted on 13 September 2026 to approve a new government led by 51-year-old Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who has held executive office since 2021. The approval ended three months of cabinet paralysis following the snap parliamentary election held on 7 June 2026. Parliamentary Speaker Albulena Haxhiu announced that the 20-minister cabinet received support from 62 lawmakers in the 120-seat assembly, while eight members voted against. The winning majority relied on Kurti's left-leaning Vetevendosje movement alongside lawmakers representing ethnic minority communities. While several international reports noted that representatives of the Serb minority did not back the cabinet, other accounts reported minority list participation. The primary opposition parties, including the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, boycotted the session. Opposition deputies objected that the vote proceeded before lawmakers could elect deputy speakers of the assembly, announcing that they will challenge the legislative procedure before the Constitutional Court.

The constitutional deadlock over the presidency

The vote leaves Kosovo locked in an 18-month political deadlock centered on electing a head of state. Under Kosovo's constitution, choosing a president requires a quorum of at least 80 lawmakers in the 120-seat chamber. The crisis originated after the regular parliamentary election in February 2025, when Vetevendosje lost its absolute majority. A snap election in December 2025 allowed Kurti to form a government, but lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on a presidential candidate. The mandate of President Vjosa Osmani expired on 4 April 2026, and the failure to meet the constitutional deadline forced the early election on 7 June 2026. In that vote, Vetevendosje secured 47.13% of ballots and 53 seats, finishing as the largest party but lacking the two-thirds threshold on its own. In late August 2026, Kurti reached an agreement with the LDK, which holds 18 seats, to back law professor Bekim Sejdiu for the presidency. The agreement collapsed the next day when six LDK lawmakers refused to support the nomination. Without an 80-seat consensus, Kosovo faces the prospect of holding a fourth parliamentary election within two years.

Vetevendosje seats53

Votes supporting Kurti cabinet62

Presidential quorum requirement80

Total assembly seats120

Vetevendosje seats

53

Votes supporting Kurti cabinet

62

Presidential quorum requirement

80

Total assembly seats

120

Data from the article text

Domestic priorities and diplomatic strains

Prior to the vote, Kurti addressed the assembly, stating that expanding social welfare programs and securing candidate status for European Union membership represent the core priorities of his new cabinet. Continued institutional instability has disrupted legislative reforms necessary for EU accession, placing millions of euros in EU pre-accession financial assistance at risk. The ongoing parliamentary stalemate is tied to deep political divisions over Kurti's administration of relations with Serbia, particularly unilateral measures in the Serb-dominated northern municipalities. Opposition parties argue that these policies have damaged relations with traditional Western partners, including the United States and the European Union, who previously called for de-escalation after armed clashes occurred between Kosovar police and Serbian paramilitary units. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 following the 1998–1999 war and NATO intervention. While recognized by the United States and most EU member states, Pristina's independence is rejected by Serbia, Russia, and China, with the EU requiring normalized relations between Belgrade and Pristina for either nation to progress toward membership.