Kosovo gets new government but political impasse persists

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Kosovo gets new government but political impasse persists

2026-09-13 23:20 Last Updated At：23:40

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo lawmakers on Sunday voted into office a new government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti following an early election in June in the small Balkan nation that remains locked in a prolonged political crisis.

Kurti's government received support from a slim majority of 62 lawmakers in the 120-member assembly. Opposition lawmakers boycotted the session, accusing Kurti of violating postelection procedures.

Disagreements between key political players in Kosovo have led to an impasse over more than 18 months, which has not been resolved despite two early ballots.

Lawmakers failed to elect deputy speakers of the assembly. Opposition parties insisted on their election before the vote on the new government is held.

The crisis first started after an election in February 2025, when no party won enough votes to form a government. An early election in December 2025 ended with Kurti forming the government but parties could not agree on the president.

To choose a president, Kosovo’s 120-member assembly needs a quorum of at least 80 lawmakers, which Kurti did not have.

Kurti's ruling center-left Vetevendosje party again won most votes after the election in June, but less than the previous time as voter disappointment and frustration appeared to grow.

Opposition parties said they will take the alleged postelection procedural mistakes to the Constitutional Court. If the crisis drags on, it could push Kosovo into yet another early election.

Kosovo is among the youngest and poorest countries in Europe. The predominantly ethnic Albanian nation declared independence from Serbia in 2008 following a 1998-99 war that ended in a NATO bombing that forced Serbia to withdraw.

Kosovo has been recognized by the United States and most EU countries but not by Serbia and its allies Russia and China. Pristina and Belgrade have been told they must mend relations to move forward with their EU membership bids.

Vamos! Team Europe regains Solheim Cup from the United States as Ciganda and Woad seal victory

DEN BOSCH, Netherlands (AP) — Lottie Woad assured it. Carlota Ciganda — who else? — sealed it.

Vamos! The Solheim Cup is back in the hands of Team Europe.

The blue wave came early in the Sunday singles at Bernardus Golf and never went away, all the way through to Woad holing a putt from 2 feet on No. 17 to win her match and guarantee the Europeans would reach the 14 1/2 points needed to reclaim the crystal trophy from the United States.

Woad, one of Team Europe's four rookies, punched the air and jumped into the arms of her teammates who flooded onto the green in celebration.

Within 10 minutes, Ciganda, inevitably, officially got the Europeans to the victory target.

The Spaniard, who got the decisive point when Europe retained the Solheim Cup in 2023, completed a 4-and-2 victory over Jennifer Kupcho, a feisty American who had roared “Vamos!” ("Let's go!") when holing an outrageous 93-foot putt on the way to beating Ciganda in a spiky four-balls match on Saturday.

“Today I knew she had no chance,” Ciganda said. “I was like, I want to kill you.”

Strains of “Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé” drifted across the course as the last matches finished and the European team and staff celebrated, spraying Champagne over each other and draping flags over their shoulders.

Captain Anna Nordqvist, her assistants along with the players and their caddies formed a line, put their arms over one another’s shoulders, and walked as one up the 18th fairway toward the green where Celine Boutier — the remaining European player on the course — was wrapping up her match.

When Boutier finished, she piled into the mass celebrations.

The final score in the Netherlands: Europe 15, the United States 13.

To a backdrop of blue-and-yellow smoke, Nordqvist hoisted aloft the Solheim Cup on a podium in front of a first-tee grandstand filled with jubilant Team Europe fans, then gave each of her celebrating players and assistants a touch of the trophy.

“This feels so good,” said Nordqvist, who announced her retirement from playing two weeks ago. “There’s just been so much hard work this week and in the last two years leading up to this.”

The Europeans have now won three of the last five editions, the only loss in that stretch coming in Virginia two years ago. The U.S. team didn't have possession of the trophy for long and is still without a win on the road since 2015.

“The Europeans played great today, and that’s the way it goes,” U.S. captain Angela Stanford said. “Their backs were against the wall, they had nothing to lose, and that’s exactly what they did — they came out and played well.”

The teams were tied at 8-8 after two days and set out Sunday in heavy rain for the 12 singles matches, with Europe going out fast, putting blue all over the scoreboard and ultimately winning six of the first eight matches. Ciganda, in Match 11, added the crucial other victory.

Early wins for Charley Hull and Linn Grant laid the platform for victory, the only wobble for Europe coming when U.S. player Alison Lee came from 4 down after 11 holes to beat Esther Henseleit, 1 up, for the greatest comeback in Solheim Cup history.

Rookies contributed massively for Europe all week and especially Sunday, with Woad, Nastasia Nadaud and Julia Lopez Ramirez all winning matches in the singles.

Nadaud, a 21-year-old Frenchwoman, was a revelation this week, winning three points. Only Grant, Lee (both 4) and Lauren Coughlin (3 1/2) collected more.

“I think it’s been one of the best teams that we’ve had in the last few years,” Ciganda said. “Everyone just a unit, a team. That’s what Europe is about.”

The U.S. leads the all-time series 11-8, with one draw.

A big part of the narrative of the week was the misfiring performances of Europe's highest-ranked players.

Hull and Woad, two English players, were paired in each of the first four sessions — a first for a Solheim Cup — and only contributed a half-point.

Redemption came Sunday, with Hull leading from the front — she beat Megan Khan, previously undefeated in singles, 3 and 2 in Match 1 — and Woad going 4 up after nine holes against Auston Kim before winning 2 and 1.

“She’s been playing so good this week and not really getting anything off of it,” Nordqvist said of Woad. “But holing the winning putt, I don’t think that’s ever going to be hard to (forget) for her.”

See AP’s full golf coverage here