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Former Student Activist Takes Charge as Kosovo's Prime Minister

Leonat Shehu

   PRISTINA, KOSOVO - Kosovo's parliament Monday confirmed Prime Minister
   Albin Kurti, a former student leader, almost four months after a
   political upset that saw his party with the most seats in a snap
   election.

   The new government is a coalition between Kurti's center-left
   Vetëvendosje (Self-Determination ) party and the center-right
   Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) party, which won just slightly fewer
   votes than Vetëvendosje.

   The 120-seat Assembly approved the new government with 66 votes in
   favor.

   Kosovo's Democratic Party, of which President Hashim Thaçi is a former
   leader, which will for the first time become the opposition, boycotted
   the vote, as did other opposition parties.

   The opposition party members walked out of the chamber after
   criticizing Kurti in speeches throughout the day.

   Kurti campaigned on an anti-corruption platform and said Monday that
   his government will focus on development and employment.

   Women will head 30% of the Cabinet posts. The parliament also voted for
   Kosovo's first-ever female speaker, Vjosa Osmani of coalition partner
   LDK, as part of the power-sharing agreement.

   Who is Kurti?

   Kurti, 44, is the former leader of a student movement with a
   nationalist focus.

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