Kosovo's parliament has elected economist and academic Justina Shiroka Pula as the country's new president, concluding a dramatic political process just hours before a constitutional deadline that threatened to dissolve the legislature.
The 73-year-old president of the Kosovo Academy of Sciences and Arts secured the presidency after receiving broad backing from lawmakers in a late-night parliamentary session. Her election came after political parties spent the day negotiating over potential candidates and key legislative demands.
The breakthrough was achieved after Prime Minister Albin Kurti nominated Shiroka Pula following the rejection of earlier candidates by opposition parties. The proposal ultimately gained the support of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), paving the way for a consensus candidate.
Before the presidential vote could take place, lawmakers approved amendments to legislation governing Kosovo's relationship with the Hague-based court that has prosecuted former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders. The changes had been a key condition set by the PDK during negotiations.
The amended legislation seeks to narrow the court's jurisdiction in certain cases and would allow some proceedings to be transferred to Kosovo. It also includes provisions affecting sentencing and the location where some convicted individuals serve their terms.
Outside parliament, large crowds gathered awaiting the outcome of the vote on the legislation. Celebrations erupted after lawmakers approved the amendments.
The subsequent presidential ballot was contested by Shiroka Pula and PDK lawmaker Eliza Hoxha. Of the 84 deputies who participated in the vote, Shiroka Pula secured 81 votes, while Hoxha received one. Two ballots were declared invalid.
Following the result, Shiroka Pula took the oath of office before parliament and pledged to serve all citizens of Kosovo.
In her inaugural address, she vowed to uphold the country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Her election brings a distinguished academic and public service career to Kosovo's highest office. A long-time specialist in economics, Pula previously served as Kosovo's Minister of Energy and Mining between 2008 and 2011 and later sat in parliament from 2011 to 2014. She was elected head of the Kosovo Academy of Sciences and Arts in December 2025.
The vote took place against the backdrop of a Constitutional Court ruling that set October 6 as the final day for parliament to choose a president, warning that failure to do so would trigger the dissolution of the assembly.
By electing a new head of state before the deadline, lawmakers avoided a fresh institutional crisis and ensured continuity in Kosovo's political leadership.
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