The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), currently the second largest parliamentary force in the country, is moving towards electing a new leader, in an effort to bring to power someone who can challenge incumbent Prime Minister Albin Kurti, whose party, the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), has been in power since 2021 and won the most votes in the February 9 parliamentary elections.
The current chairman, Memli Krasniqi, resigned suddenly on Wednesday and called the party convention for Monday, November 17, saying the time had come for new momentum and opportunity for "our democratic family." A day later, Bedri Hamza, its candidate for prime minister in this year's elections, announced that he would run for chairman, promising reforms to restore PDK "as the main party in the country."
While everything seemed to be going according to plan, MP and former acting mayor, Enver Hoxhaj, came forward with objections.
He called for the Convention to be postponed to November 23, saying that more time is needed for a more quality race, and that a democratic party should have more than just a single candidate in the race.
"PDK needs new leadership, not old schemes, it needs a new vision, not a change of roles. This is the moment to pave the way for real change," Hoxhaj wrote on Facebook. PDK has not responded to Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) questions about whether Hamza will have opponents in the race for party leadership.
REL has also contacted Hoxhaj, but he has not indicated whether he will be part of the competition.
Artan Muhaxhiri, a sociologist and political analyst, tells REL that, although Krasniqi's resignation was surprising, "it was the right act."
He believes that the mayoral elections could become an "accelerator of change in the PDK, if the other necessary conditions are met."
According to him, it will be important for PDK how the competition is conducted, because if the process is just a formality, then there could be consequences.
"The PDK urgently needs a revitalization of its leadership, of structures for searching for professional resources within the party, as well as for changing its image and influence in the public, because with the elections ahead, it cannot continue with this inertia," Muhaxhiri emphasizes.
Hoxhaj's eventual candidacy
Enver Hoxhaj did not even compete in the 2021 Convention when Memli Krasniqi was elected chairman for the first time, despite having led the party as acting chairman for more than 200 days.
This year, he has been vocal in his stances that differed from those of the party itself, as in the summer he had said that he would support a coalition with Kurti's LVV, and had underlined that it could have a role when he spoke about possible elections within the party.
If Hoxhaj decides to run, according to Muhaxhiri, he must have a team behind him and a platform with "fresh and creative ideas", with which he could convince even PDK members that he can challenge Kurti. Muhaxhiri believes that Hoxhaj is an important part of PDK, despite the fact that he no longer has the influence he had in the party when it was led by Hashim Thaçi and Kadri Veseli, who are now on trial in The Hague for war crimes, which they deny.
"However, he is a very important part of PDK and if he has a platform and a team, he can challenge Hamza, but it seems that this race is already over and Hoxhaj is trying to create an image of a rebel within PDK who does not agree with all decisions."
Can Hamza bring about change?
Muhaxhiri estimates that the PDK was "sincere" by announcing the presidential elections to deal with the current situation and seek opportunities to return to power.
"Because it no longer makes sense for PDK to be in this situation where it is far from the Vetëvendosje Movement and without any clear idea of how to challenge Kurti's great power," says Muhaxhiri.
Under Krasniqi's leadership - from 2021 - PDK came second in the parliamentary elections in February, lagging well behind LVV.
It won six municipalities in the local elections, suffering a small decline at the local level, compared to the previous elections. Muhaxhiri underlines that PDK has not had a strategy, plan or idea on how to challenge Kurti and LVV in these parts in recent years.
"As was seen in the local elections now, Kurti only expanded his power with new municipalities. This is a great danger for the PDK, because if Mr. Kurti wins the parliamentary elections again with about 40 percent, this will be a sign that they absolutely have not been able to reduce his power even by a millimeter, and this is inexcusable if it lasts six or seven years," according to Muhaxhir.
Kosovo could go to parliamentary elections no later than December, given that neither party has the necessary majority, nor the will to co-govern, after the February elections. And, if Hamza is elected PDK leader, which seems inevitable, seeing as he also received Krasniqi's public support on the day of his resignation, then he has only one task, according to Muhaxhir.
"To diligently search within the PDK structures throughout Kosovo for new people, new personalities, new professionals and bring them into focus as representatives of a new generation of PDK, because only in this way can a kind of hope be created that PDK can be reformed and increase its power." The PDK, formed at the end of 1999, co-governed in the years 2001-2004, while in 2007, it emerged for the first time as the most voted party in Kosovo.
It governed for seven years with Hashim Thaçi as Prime Minister of Kosovo.
For 17 years, the PDK was led by Thaçi, who served as both president and prime minister of the country at several stages.
In 2016, when Thaçi became president, the party was led by Kadri Veseli until he left for The Hague in 2020./Radio Free Europe/
