Post-Poll Row Throws Kosovo Politics into Limbo

Confusion has erupted over whether the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK - the party that won most votes in the recent general election in Kosovo - should automatically have the right to form the new government even though it appears unable to claim a majority in parliament.

After opposition parties put together a coalition aimed at ensuring that they rather than the PDK would form a government, President Atifete Jahjaga asked the constitutional court for advice on two articles of the constitution related to the nomination of a candidate for prime minister.

But Balkans expert Florian Bieber, professor of south-east European studies at the University of Graz, said there was no need to ask the constitutional court for advice because the constitution shows who has the right to form the new government.

“While there appears to be uncertainty about how to interpret the constitution, I would consider Article 95.1 [of the constitution] fairly clear,” Bieber said.

“This article talks about the nomination of a candidate based on a party or coalition that has a majority in parliament. It does not require the president to consult the largest party, but those with a majority,” he added.

The PDK, led by outgoing Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, won more than 30 per cent of the votes in the election and is demanding the right to form the government first.

But Thaci’s plans were blown off course shortly after the elections when his rivals, Isa Mustafa, from the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, Ramush Haradinaj, of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, and PDK defector Fatmir Limaj, from the Initiative for Kosovo [Nisma per Kosoven], united in an anti-PDK coalition.

Naim Rashiti, from the Balkans Group, a regional think...

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