On the day her term ended, Vjosa Osmani was praised for her leadership, especially in foreign policy. Political analysts, however, noted that within the state, she had often shown bias and did not represent the unity of the people.
Despite the same party’s votes that had abandoned her, Vjosa Osmani was elected president on April 4, 2021. While the majority of votes were obtained by the political partner she joined in 2020, Vetëvendosje, the decisive votes came from the Democratic League, a party that saw its vote count halved after Osmani’s departure.
In 2020, when the LDK overturned the government of Kurti I, of which she was a part, Osmani sided with Vetëvendosje. The rebellious political profile adopted by the party was in line with that of their coalition partner at the time. Osmani founded a political entity with a number of individuals who had left the LDK and, with Vetëvendosje, ran in the 2021 elections. The person who garnered the most votes in Kosovo received over 300,000.
During her five years in power, political analysts believe that Osmani showed some qualities on the international stage but did not play a unifying role within the state. “It has become almost impossible, given that all past presidents, like Mr. Fatmir Sejdiu and the current Vjosa Osmani and Mr. Thaçi, were from political coalitions. It is therefore very difficult to maintain the unity required by the Constitution, and of course, the interests of the political coalition are more protected,” stated political analyst Arbnor Sadiku.
Political analyst Adrian Zeqiri also believes that Osmani took sides during her term. “In certain situations, she took sides, especially last year when her support for the positions of the Vetëvendosje Movement and Mr. Kurti was evident. Her positions were perfectly aligned with those of Mr. Kurti and the Vetëvendosje Movement,” Zeqiri assessed.
At the end of her term, she also faced internal difficulties within Vetëvendosje, as the party did not show enough commitment to secure the necessary votes for her reelection. Additionally, she was not always on the same page as Prime Minister Albin Kurti, especially regarding coordination with allies.
Political analysts evaluate Osmani’s positions and actions towards international actors. “Vjosa Osmani achieved excellent results in foreign policy, especially by maintaining excellent relations with the United States and the European Union. During her term, she managed to gain some recognition for Kosovo and integrate it into the Peace Council,” Sadiku declared.
Adrian Zeqiri also appreciated Osmani’s diplomatic engagement. “Her positions, especially these last two or three years when the Kosovo government was isolated, were extremely constructive. She maintained relations with the European Union and was regularly invited to summits where Kosovo was represented. She also managed to establish closer relations with the Trump administration, especially with President Trump,” Zeqiri stated.
Osmani hinted that the end of her term does not mean her retirement. She announced that she would remain active in politics.
