By Enver Robelli
Only a few days remain for Kosovo to elect its president, yet it is still unclear who the candidates are. The only certainty is that the current president seeks another mandate. It appears she does not have the 30 signatures required to run, nor are there clear statements from political parties about whom they support. In reality, no one knows who will lead the state over the next five years.
The biography of the candidate or candidates is unknown. Nothing is known about their political orientation; where they come from, who they are, what they aim to achieve in politics, which values they represent (and which they do not), or what positions they hold on the most important issues. In this circus, citizens are merely spectators in the political arena, waiting for a “miracle worker” to appear on stage and pull a candidate out of a hat.
If we assess the experience of presidential elections since independence, the record is not encouraging. Presidents have twice been dismissed by the Constitutional Court. On one occasion, the international community was forced to propose a candidate itself to save Kosovo from a deep political crisis. There have been cases when elections were held for reasons entirely unrelated to politics. All of this has not enhanced the prestige of the presidency in the eyes of citizens.
Presidential elections have become an “atomic bomb” capable of blowing up the government if the process fails in Parliament. This can happen even weeks after parliamentary elections. Kosovo now finds itself in precisely such a situation.
For the sake of institutional stability — and to ensure that the presidency is no longer part of political bargaining — there is no solution other than amending the Constitution so that the head of state is elected directly by the citizens. It is astonishing that party leaders are not discussing this issue now. Because in five years’ time, Kosovo will face the same situation again: parties will fail to agree, and at the last moment someone will be pulled out like a “rabbit” from a hat.
Regardless of whom political parties ultimately choose, one thing must be clear: Kosovo needs a figure with political and diplomatic experience, someone familiar with the processes the country has undergone, knowledgeable about international relations, and experienced in communicating with the international community. Such a person can be a woman or a man — what matters is the profile. In these times of major geopolitical turbulence, Kosovo has neither the luxury nor the time for experiments. No one should be elected president for emotional reasons or on purely patriotic arguments.
In Germany, these days, there is discussion about the idea of electing Angela Merkel — the former chancellor with vast political experience — as president. If a country like Germany places such importance on political experience, Kosovo should not allow unknown figures to occupy high state positions — political “black boxes” whose contents are unclear, whose voices have barely been heard in public, and whose political views are unknown.
Every candidate for prime minister is required to explain themselves to the public, present a program, give interviews, and hold public office. Why should these criteria not apply to the presidency as well? Five years is a long time, and Kosovo will face major challenges. Political experience is essential to meet them. All parties bear responsibility for finding an appropriate solution and avoiding political experiments — above all, the party that won the elections.
Kosovo has diplomats and former diplomats, as well as other personalities from political life who would be dignified for the presidency, if there is no agreement to continue with the current president for another term. This is a matter for political parties, and decision-makers must bear in mind that it is in their hands not to cause political damage through unsuitable candidacies.