Although the internal elections in the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) are held in November 2027, the race for president has already begun, with three candidates having confirmed their candidacies.
So far, Përparim Rama, Hykmete Bajrami and Arben Gashi are the three names that have confirmed that they will run for LDK chairman.
Meanwhile, the current party leader, Lumir Abdixhiku, has not yet announced whether he will seek a new mandate, while deputy leader Lutfi Haziri and MP Avdullah Hoti have not given a definitive answer as to whether they will enter the race, and Armend Zemaj has not ruled out the possibility of entering the race. Meanwhile, Kujtim Shala has been mentioned as a possible name by Avdullah Hoti, but has not yet confirmed his candidacy, writes Reporteri.net.
The Mayor of Pristina, Përparim Rama, has announced that he will be a candidate for the LDK presidency . In his statement to the media, Rama not only confirmed the candidacy, but also called on the current mayor, Lumir Abdixhiku, to resign.
"Did you hear that I said yes? I will be a candidate for president of the LDK," Rama declared.
He justified his ambition with the result in Pristina, where, according to him, he managed to return the LDK to first place, while assessing that Abdixhiku should step down from the party leadership.
MP Hykmete Bajrami has also confirmed that she will enter the race for LDK leader.
She made this announcement on November 6, citing the current state of the party and the need for changes in its leadership.
"I am interested and will run for LDK president in the next elections, whenever they are," Bajrami declared.
MP Arben Gashi has announced that he will also enter the race . In an interview with Kanal 10, he said that he meets the conditions to run, citing his ambition, profile and program.
"I believe that I fulfill the formalities and conditions that I had: ambition, profile and program. Since we are not yet at that stage, but we have been in politics for a considerable time and I have my contribution, I think the time has come to see the possibilities of how to jointly make LDK and Kosovo better. You can say it in a clear and loud voice," Gashi declared.
Meanwhile, the current LDK leader, Lumir Abdixhiku, has not yet confirmed whether he will run for another term.
Faced with voices calling for his resignation, Abdixhiku recalled that his four-year mandate ends on November 19, 2027. He announced that internal elections are expected to begin in September of next year and end in November.
"The four-year mandate ends on November 19, 2027. We will probably start the elections in September of next year and end them in November," Abdixhiku declared.
On the other hand, the vice president of LDK, Lutfi Haziri , said that he sees the process differently and that initially some actions must be taken within the party.
Haziri said that issues related to the elections should be discussed in the LDK, and that early preparations should be made.
"I said that LDK should return home. We need to return home, discuss issues related to the elections. Early preparations, we need to strengthen norms, take major actions for statutory and structural changes and create an environment for good competition," he declared.
Asked if he plans to run for office himself, Haziri said that he sees "the process differently."
"I am one of those who sees the process differently, and of course I have also competed in difficult days, I am not afraid of competition. But for me, these actions must be taken," he added.
Haziri also commented on the candidacies of Hykmete Bajrami, Arben Gashi and Përparim Rama, saying that they are "worth the candidacies".
"Hykmetja, Arben, give value to eventual candidacies, they are authorities, credible names, credibility to the political process. Progress is of course one of them. Now it remains to be seen when the time comes, because the sooner I think, the better to clarify an electoral agenda, it is in the last year of this LDK mandate," he added for indeksonline.
MP Avdullah Hoti has also not given a definitive answer on whether he will run. He has expressed his willingness to discuss with his party colleagues to find a candidate who would unite the LDK.
Hoti mentioned the names of Kujtim Shala, Hykmete Bajrami and Përparim Rama as figures who, according to him, would do the party honor if they were to receive support for its leadership. He added that other names could also enter the race.
Meanwhile, MP Armend Zemaj has left open the possibility that he too could be a candidate for LDK chairman.
Asked by RTV21 if he supports Përparim Rama for this position, Zemaj said that LDK has many names and that the development of the internal process should be awaited.
"LDK has many names. I am glad that one of them, Mr. Rama, has expressed this willingness, but we must wait for the process. They must ask us, all of us," Zemaj declared on October 20.
Asked if he would vote for Rama, Zemaj replied: "I'll see for myself, now for Rama." /Reporteri.net/.
