Retkoceri: Electing a president will require inter-party agreement and consensus on American gas

With preliminary results from the 7 June elections showing that no single political party can form institutions on its own, all attention has turned to the diaspora vote and whether it will prove decisive in determining who forms the next government. Political analyst Selatin Retkoceri told RTV21 that if Vëndosja (LVV) secures 65% of the diaspora vote, it could form a government together with non-Serb minority parties.

"If we go by the trend from the February and December 2025 elections, the diaspora voted for LVV by a majority. Now there is an expectation that Osmani may have done something in the diaspora and drawn votes away — and it would be preferable if LVV did not cross the 60% threshold. If it crosses 60–65%, then VV is expected to win around 52 seats and, together with the minorities, would reach the 60-seat figure needed to form a government — but not enough for the presidency when that time comes. In all likelihood, however, if diaspora citizens voted as they did in December, the chances are very high that Kurti will have a sufficient number of seats to form the next government," Retkoceri told RTV21.

According to him, the diaspora votes may be decisive for forming a government, but not for electing a president — for which, he says, an inter-party agreement and consensus on American gas will be required. Without that, the country will head to fresh elections.

"On the question of the presidency, if there is no political agreement that keeps opposition figures out of the government as well, I am convinced that within a short period we will be heading to elections, because the opposition is not prepared to enter a coalition or to be satisfied with the presidency alone. So fresh elections appear inevitable — also because the opposition, it seems, is partly motivated by the fact that Kurti is not accepting the American gas. With only the LDK, he will not have the votes. I don't believe Osmani will become president, because there are divisions within the LDK. I don't believe there will be a coalition between the LDK and VV. Between the PDK and VV, yes — but only on the condition that Kurti accepts the American gas. Whether Kurti is prepared to accept the gas is a very big question mark, so citizens should brace themselves for another round of elections," Retkoceri told RTV21.

Representatives of opposition parties have recently stated that they will not cooperate with LVV unless the American gas deal is accepted./RTV21/21Media