2025 Kosovo Assembly deadlock

On 9 February 2025, Kosovo held parliamentary elections to choose the 120 members of its Assembly. The winner of these elections was Vetëvendosje with 42,3% of the vote— or 48 Assembly seats —which makes up a plurality rather than a majority. The winning party is required by law to appoint the new Speaker of the Assembly within 30 days after the results are certified, needing to pass the threshold of 61 votes. LVV's proposition for Assembly Speaker is the outgoing Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu. The voting process began on 15 April 2025, and failed with 52 votes "for", 46 "against" and 11 abstentions. The meeting was delayed by 48 hours as per Kosovo's legal framework, and the members reconvened again on 19 April. The members did not reach a consensus once more. The meeting was delayed more than 40 times as a result of the opposition parties categorically refusing the proposed candidate, which has been called a "deadlock" or "blockade" by all parties. On 26 August, Dimal Basha from LVV was voted as Assembly Speaker on his second proposal with a majority vote of 73 to 30.
All parties have accused each-other of trying to block the process, and have refused several options, such as the option for a secret ballot which was proposed by lawmakers. Haxhiu has said that if a secret ballot goes ahead and she does not receive the required 61 votes, she would withdraw. Neither opposition party has proposed its own candidate for Assembly Speaker. The Assembly has also not approved a budget for 2026, increasing tensions.
On 26 June, the Constitutional Court ruled that the deadlock must be ended within 30 days. Following the court's decision, President Vjosa Osmani began to meet with party leaders to find an agreement.
The deadlock has been met with symbolic civil protests. In one protest on 3 July, the lawyer Arianit Koci gained a lot of media attention after he brought four donkeys in front of the doors of the Assembly, to symbolize "the stubbornness that the Assembly members are showing". By 27 July, there were 54 votes in total before the deadline set by the Constitutional Court.
On 8 August, the Court gave MPs another 30 days to elect a speaker. It however stipulated that no candidate could be proposed more than three times, and that MPs must be present to vote during the sessions. The Court also found that the acting speaker had violated the constitution by continuing to call for a commission to establish a secret ballot.

No.	Candidate	Party	Pro	Against	Abstention	Date
1	Albulena Haxhiu	VV	57	56	3	20 August
2	Donika Gërvalla	Guxo	57	56	3	20 August
3	Hekuran Murati	VV	57	51	6	22 August
4	Hekuran Murati	VV	55	46	5	24 August
5	Arbërie Nagavci	VV	55	47	4	24 August
6	Dimal Basha	VV	57	25	24	24 August
7	Dimal Basha	VV	73	30	8	26 August

A fresh election was held on 28 December in which Vetëvendosje won a majority, effectively ending the deadlock.