Given 15 days to cobble together a coalition capable of commanding majority support in parliament, Albin Kurti chose not to chair talks with potential allies but instead flew to Amsterdam to the attend the congress of the Party of European Socialists; days later, he went to London for a summit of Balkan leaders.
By the time he returns from Wednesday’s summit, Kurti will have only a matter of days to form an alliance that 61 MPs can back.
The apparent lack of urgency reflects what analysts say has become increasingly clear through months of political deadlock since Kurti’s Vetevendosje won a general election in February but lost its majority: Kosovo’s bitterly divided political class is resigned to another election.
Indeed, Kurti knows his chances of forming a coalition are almost nil.
The opposition Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, and Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, have publicly refused to join forces with Vetevendosje, while Kurti has made clear he will not entertain a pact with the second biggest party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK.