{"id":89204,"date":"2026-09-09T00:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T20:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/?p=89204"},"modified":"2026-09-09T00:33:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T20:33:35","slug":"kosovo-assembly-constitutive-session-september-9-kurti-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/kosovo-assembly-constitutive-session-september-9-kurti-agreement\/","title":{"rendered":"Kosovo Assembly Confronts Constitutional Deadlines in High-Stakes September 9 Session"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"background:#f7fafc;padding:15px;border-left:4px solid #3b82f6;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Kosovo&#8217;s Assembly is scheduled to resume its constitutive session on September 9, 2026, following a month-long deadlock.<\/li>\n<li>The ruling LVV and opposition LDK agreed on August 31 to nominate Bekim Sejdiu for president, but his support currently stands at only 74 votes.<\/li>\n<li>An 80-vote threshold (or 80 MPs present in the chamber) is required to legally elect the president.<\/li>\n<li>The opposition PDK and LDK will participate in the session, while the Alliance (AAK) plans to boycott in protest of constitutional deadline violations.<\/li>\n<li>Civil society groups emphasize that despite the missed deadlines, the Assembly remains constitutionally obligated to fully constitute itself.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Kosovo\u2019s political leadership faces a critical institutional test as the Assembly prepares to reconvene on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, to conclude its interrupted constitutive session. The session was halted on August 8 when Albin Kurti, the leader of the Vet\u00ebvendosje Movement (LVV) and acting Prime Minister, requested additional time to secure a stable political agreement regarding the country&#8217;s next president. As reported by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cna.al\/english\/kosova-bota\/a-do-te-mbyllet-konstituimi-i-kuvendit-te-kosoves-me-9-shtator-i473617\">CNA.al<\/a>, while a preliminary agreement was reached on August 31 between the LVV and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) to nominate Bekim Sejdiu, severe arithmetic and constitutional challenges remain unresolved.<\/p>\n<h2>The Parliamentary Arithmetic and the 80-Vote Threshold<\/h2>\n<p>Under Kosovo&#8217;s constitutional framework, the Assembly is considered fully constituted only after the election of its President (Speaker) and five Vice-Presidents. Once this is achieved, the legislative body can proceed with electing the new government and the national president. However, the political agreement to support Bekim Sejdiu as the presidential candidate is highly fragile.<\/p>\n<p>The math within the 120-seat parliament presents a major hurdle. The winning party, LVV, holds 53 seats and expects the support of 10 MPs representing minority communities. While the LDK holds 18 seats, six of its lawmakers have publicly declared their opposition to Sejdiu&#8217;s candidacy. Consequently, the agreement currently commands the reliable support of only 74 MPs. This falls short of the 80-vote threshold (two-thirds majority) required to elect a president in the first two rounds of voting. If the process reaches a third round, a simple majority of 61 votes is sufficient, but the physical presence of at least 80 deputies in the chamber is strictly required for the vote to be legally valid.<\/p>\n<h2>Opposition Strategies and the Boycott Threat<\/h2>\n<p>The two primary opposition parties, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the LDK, have confirmed they will attend the September 9 session, despite criticizing the governing coalition&#8217;s handling of the process. PDK leader Bedri Hamza stated that Kosovo must have a functional, constituted Assembly, confirming that PDK lawmaker Vlora \u00c7itaku will be nominated for the position of second deputy speaker. Hamza emphasized that the opposition bears no responsibility for the prolonged delay, pointing out that PDK representatives had been present at the assembly every 48 hours.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has decided to boycott the session entirely. Alliance Chairman Ardian Gjini explained that the decision was a protest against the government&#8217;s disregard for constitutional timelines. Gjini noted that the party was willing to participate if the session had been convened before Saturday, which marked the expiration of the second 30-day legal window. By delaying past this point, Gjini argued, the ruling coalition had shown disrespect toward the state institution.<\/p>\n<h2>Constitutional Deadlines and Legal Assessments<\/h2>\n<p>The ongoing impasse has triggered a heated legal debate over the interpretation of constitutional deadlines. A prior ruling by the Constitutional Court dictates that the Assembly must be constituted within 30 days of the certification of election results\u2014a deadline that expired on August 7, 2026. During a heated debate on August 12, acting Minister of Justice Donika G\u00ebrvalla argued that the 30-day countdown actually began when the constitutive session was first called on August 6, setting the true deadline as September 6.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these conflicting interpretations, civil society organizations have urged the political factions to prioritize institutional functionality. The Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) issued a statement stressing that while the violation of the constitutional deadline must be acknowledged, it should not be used as an excuse to prolong the political blockade. According to the KLI, the expiration of the deadline does not release lawmakers from their constitutional obligation to make the state&#8217;s democratic institutions fully operational.<\/p>\n<section class=\"related-articles azat-depth-followups\" style=\"margin:2rem 0;padding:1rem;background:#f7fafc;\">\n<h3 style=\"margin-top:0;font-size:1.5rem;color:#333;\">Follow-up Questions<\/h3>\n<ul style=\"list-style:none;padding:0;margin:0;\">\n<li style=\"display:block;margin:.75rem 0;padding:.75rem 0;border-top:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,.08);\">\n<details style=\"display:block;\">\n<summary style=\"cursor:pointer;list-style:revert;color:#c95a5a;font-weight:700;line-height:1.45;\">What happens if Bekim Sejdiu fails to secure 80 votes in the first two rounds?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"margin:.65rem 0 0 1.15rem;color:#333;line-height:1.65;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;color:#333;\">If no candidate secures a two-thirds majority (80 votes) in the first two rounds, the election proceeds to a third round. In the third round, the president can be elected with a simple majority of 61 votes. However, the constitutional rule strictly requires that at least 80 of the 120 MPs must be physically present in the chamber for this third-round vote to be legally valid<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:.55rem 0 0 0;color:#333;\"><strong>What remains unclear:<\/strong> It remains uncertain whether opposition parties like PDK or dissenting LDK members will remain in the chamber to provide the necessary 80-MP quorum if they refuse to vote for Sejdiu<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"display:block;margin:.75rem 0;padding:.75rem 0;border-top:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,.08);\">\n<details style=\"display:block;\">\n<summary style=\"cursor:pointer;list-style:revert;color:#c95a5a;font-weight:700;line-height:1.45;\">Why is the Alliance (AAK) boycotting the September 9 session?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"margin:.65rem 0 0 1.15rem;color:#333;line-height:1.65;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;color:#333;\">Alliance Chairman Ardian Gjini stated that the boycott is a protest against the ruling coalition&#8217;s disregard for the constitution. The AAK was prepared to participate if the session had been called before the expiration of the second 30-day legal period on Saturday. By missing that deadline, the AAK argues that the government has demonstrated institutional disrespect<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"related-articles azat-depth-perspectives\" style=\"margin:2rem 0;padding:1rem;background:#f7fafc;\">\n<h3 style=\"margin-top:0;font-size:1.5rem;color:#333;\">Perspectives<\/h3>\n<div style=\"margin:.75rem 0 1rem 0;padding:1rem;color:#333;font-weight:700;line-height:1.45;\">Stances on the September 9 Assembly Session<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin:1rem 0 0;padding:1rem 0 0;border-top:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,.08);\">\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 .75rem;color:#333;font-weight:700;line-height:1.45;\">Session Attendance<\/div>\n<div style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:.9rem;align-items:stretch;\">\n<div style=\"flex:1 1 240px;min-width:0;padding:.85rem .9rem;border-top:3px solid #8bb7e8;color:#333;line-height:1.65;\">\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 .45rem;font-weight:700;color:#333;\">Ruling Coalition &amp; Allies (LVV &amp; LDK Leadership)<\/div>\n<p>Fully participating to finalize the election of the Speaker and Vice-Presidents<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin:.75rem 0 0;color:#52665f;font-weight:600;line-height:1.55;\">\u201cLDK&#8217;s Jehona Lushaku: &#8216;We decided as a group to participate&#8230; and contribute to the constitution of the Assembly.&#8217;\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"flex:1 1 240px;min-width:0;padding:.85rem .9rem;border-top:3px solid #d6c78f;color:#333;line-height:1.65;\">\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 .45rem;font-weight:700;color:#333;\">Opposition Factions (PDK &amp; Alliance\/AAK)<\/div>\n<p>PDK will participate to ensure functionality; AAK is boycotting to protest deadline violations<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin:1rem 0 0;padding:1rem 0 0;border-top:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,.08);\">\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 .75rem;color:#333;font-weight:700;line-height:1.45;\">Constitutional Deadlines<\/div>\n<div style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:.9rem;align-items:stretch;\">\n<div style=\"flex:1 1 240px;min-width:0;padding:.85rem .9rem;border-top:3px solid #8bb7e8;color:#333;line-height:1.65;\">\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 .45rem;font-weight:700;color:#333;\">Ruling Coalition &amp; Allies (LVV &amp; LDK Leadership)<\/div>\n<p>Argue that the 30-day window began when the session was called (August 6), making the deadline September 6<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin:.75rem 0 0;color:#52665f;font-weight:600;line-height:1.55;\">\u201cAAK&#8217;s Ardian Gjini: &#8216;When we realized that it was not called even on Saturday&#8230; we need to show that we do not accept the Assembly being insulted.&#8217;\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"flex:1 1 240px;min-width:0;padding:.85rem .9rem;border-top:3px solid #d6c78f;color:#333;line-height:1.65;\">\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 .45rem;font-weight:700;color:#333;\">Opposition Factions (PDK &amp; Alliance\/AAK)<\/div>\n<p>Maintain that the deadline expired on August 7, 30 days after the certification of election results<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin:1rem 0 0;padding:1rem 0 0;border-top:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,.08);\">\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 .75rem;color:#333;font-weight:700;line-height:1.45;\">Presidential Candidacy<\/div>\n<div style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:.9rem;align-items:stretch;\">\n<div style=\"flex:1 1 240px;min-width:0;padding:.85rem .9rem;border-top:3px solid #8bb7e8;color:#333;line-height:1.65;\">\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 .45rem;font-weight:700;color:#333;\">Ruling Coalition &amp; Allies (LVV &amp; LDK Leadership)<\/div>\n<p>Committed to supporting agreed-upon candidate Bekim Sejdiu to avoid early elections<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin:.75rem 0 0;color:#52665f;font-weight:600;line-height:1.55;\">\u201cPDK&#8217;s Bedri Hamza: &#8216;We are not responsible for why the Assembly has not been constituted until now.&#8217;\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"flex:1 1 240px;min-width:0;padding:.85rem .9rem;border-top:3px solid #d6c78f;color:#333;line-height:1.65;\">\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 .45rem;font-weight:700;color:#333;\">Opposition Factions (PDK &amp; Alliance\/AAK)<\/div>\n<p>PDK has not offered support; AAK has conditioned its votes on its own terms<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kosovo\u2019s Assembly is set to resume its constitutive session on September 9 amid constitutional deadline disputes and a fragile political agreement on the presidency.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":-1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"googlesitekit_rrm_CAow5Nm1DA:productID":"","_azat_image_credit":"","_azat_image_creator":"","_azat_image_copyright":"","_azat_image_source_url":"","_azat_image_license_name":"","_azat_image_license_url":"","_azat_image_acquire_license_url":"","_azat_image_rights_status":"","_azat_image_caption":"","am_featured_image_credit":"","am_featured_image_creator":"","am_featured_image_copyright":"","am_featured_image_source_url":"https:\/\/d2udx5iz3h7s4h.cloudfront.net\/2026\/2\/11\/Reuters\/image\/2026_02_11T223403Z_933213930_RC2XJJA4Q11E_RTRMADP_3_KOSOVO_GOVERNMENT.JPG?width=1440&format=webp&quality=80","am_featured_image_license_name":"","am_featured_image_license_url":"","am_featured_image_acquire_license_url":"","am_featured_image_rights_status":"unknown","am_featured_image_caption":"","_azat_threads_post_url":"","_azat_threads_article_post_url":"","_azat_threads_image_post_url":"","_azat_threads_video_post_url":"","_azat_youtube_video_id":"","_azat_youtube_video_url":"","_azat_youtube_shorts_url":"","_azat_include_in_video_stream":true,"_azat_auto_publish_channels":"[\"x\",\"facebook\",\"instagram\",\"threads\",\"bluesky\",\"linkedin\",\"youtube\"]","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[64018,3934,64019],"class_list":["post-89204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-albin-kurti","tag-kosovo","tag-vetevendosje"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/kosovo-assembly-constitutive-session.jpg","_embedded":{"wp:featuredmedia":[{"id":-1,"source_url":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/kosovo-assembly-constitutive-session.jpg","media_type":"image","mime_type":"image\/jpeg"}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89204"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89205,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89204\/revisions\/89205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}