The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) have firmly opposed the parliamentary majority’s move to conduct a secret ballot vote for the election of the Assembly Speaker, following Vetëvendosje’s proposal to shift the voting method mid-process.
Both opposition parties refused to nominate members to the Commission responsible for overseeing the secret ballot procedure, calling the move unconstitutional and politically reckless.
PDK leader Memli Krasniqi denounced the decision as unprecedented and unacceptable, accusing the ruling party of manipulating procedural rules to manufacture an outcome favorable to them.
“Mr. Kurti, you cannot change the method of voting in the middle of the process,” Krasniqi stated during the heated parliamentary session. “Since the founding of this Assembly, such a thing has never happened. Had it been decided from the beginning, perhaps it would have been acceptable — but not now. Don’t deepen the crisis. Propose someone who can actually secure votes. You know there is someone among you who could.”
The Constitutional Court’s 2014 ruling, which supports the use of secret ballots in specific circumstances, is being cited by the majority as the legal foundation for the change. However, opposition parties argue that the ruling cannot be retroactively applied in an ongoing electoral process, and that doing so undermines democratic legitimacy.
This new political clash adds further strain to Kosovo’s already fragile institutional framework, raising fears of a prolonged deadlock in appointing key leadership positions.
