# Who Holds Power in Kosovo in 2026

> Kosovo's prime minister and president clash over law to weaken Hague war crimes court.
- Title: Who Holds Power in Kosovo in 2026 · The Rio Times | Shortify
- Summary: Kosovo's prime minister and president clash over law to weaken Hague war crimes court. Kosovo's prime minister Albin Kurti and president Justina Shiroka Pula…
- Keywords: kosovo, albin kurti, justina shiroka pula, vetevendosje, kosovo assembly, hague war crimes court, kosovo independence, The Rio Times
- Source: The Rio Times — https://riotimesonline.com/kosovo-politics-explained-who-holds-power-2026
- Author: Contributing Reporter
- Published: 2026-11-04T05:38:23+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: kosovo, albin kurti, justina shiroka pula, vetevendosje, kosovo assembly, hague war crimes court, eu, kosovo independence, news, world, politics
## Kosovo's Power Structure
Kosovo is a parliamentary republic with a 120-seat Assembly that elects the president and prime minister.
## Prime Minister Albin Kurti
Albin Kurti, leader of the left-nationalist Vetëvendosje party, became prime minister with 62 votes in the 120-seat Assembly on 13 September 2026.
## President Justina Shiroka Pula
Justina Shiroka Pula, 73, was elected president on 7 October 2026 with 81 votes, one more than the 80 needed.
## Vetëvendosje's Majority
Vetëvendosje holds 53 of 120 seats in the Assembly and needs minority-party MPs to govern, with the next regular election due in 2030.
## Hague Court Law Fight
The Assembly passed a law on 6 October 2026 to narrow the Hague war crimes court's powers, but the president sent it back on 22 October 2026.
## Law's Key Changes
The law would limit the court's jurisdiction to organ trafficking, cover only events between 1 July 1999 and 31 December 2000, cap sentences at 15 years, and allow presidential pardons.
## EU's Response
The European External Action Service said the amendments run against Kosovo's international obligations and welcomed the president's return of the law.
## Constitutional Court Ruling
The Constitutional Court found the Assembly was constituted after the legal deadline but ruled the government's election was constitutional on 24 September 2026.
## US Connection
Kosovo declared independence in 2008 with strong US backing, and a NATO-led peacekeeping force still serves there with US troops.
## What's Next
No date has been set for the Assembly's vote on the returned law, and the next regular election is not scheduled until 2030.
## Key takeaway

Kosovo's prime minister Albin Kurti and president Justina Shiroka Pula are fighting over a law that would limit the Hague war crimes court's powers, with the EU backing the government's return of the bill.