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Alliance for the Future of Kosovo

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Alliance for the Future of Kosovo
Aleanca për Ardhmërinë e Kosovës
ChairmanRamush Haradinaj
Parliamentary leaderBesnik Tahiri
Founded29 April 2001; 23 years ago (2001-04-29)
HeadquartersPristina
Women's wingGruaja e Aleancës
Ideology
Political positionCentre-right[5] to right-wing[2]
Assembly
5 / 120
Mayors
6 / 38
Municipal councils
120 / 994
Website
aak-ks.com

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (Albanian: Aleanca për Ardhmërinë e Kosovës, AAK) is a right-leaning[6][2] political party in Kosovo.

Leadership

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The party was formed on 29 April 2001 after having previously operated as a coalition of five parties since 2 May 2000. Founder and the current president of the party is Ramush Haradinaj. In December 2004 the parliament elected him as Prime Minister of Kosovo and he formed a coalition government with the largest party, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). He resigned as Prime Minister in March 2005 after learning that he had been indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, for 37 counts of war crimes. He received a full acquittal from the Tribunal on 3 April 2008. He returned to Kosovo and immediately resumed his duties as president of the party.

The AAK currently has three deputy presidents: Blerim Shala, Naim Maloku and Ahmet Isufi.

The current Secretary General is Burim Ramadani and the Secretary of Organisation is Ibrahim Selmanaj.

In Parliament

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At the last legislative elections held on 17 November 2007, the alliance won 9.6% of the popular vote and 10 out of 120 seats in the Assembly of Kosovo, which made it the fifth largest political force. This was a gain on the previous two legislative elections in 2001 and 2004 in which the AAK won 7.8% and 8.4% of the popular vote, respectively.

The AAK's eight current members of parliament are: Ramush Haradinaj, who is the leader of AAK, Shemsedin Dreshaj, Besnik Tahiri, Bekë Berisha, Pal Lekaj, Albena Reshitaj, Albana Bytyqi and Time Kadrijaj also serves as the AAK's member of the Assembly Presidency.

Currently they are part of the opposition team together with PDK, LDK and the Serb List

Local elections

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At the municipal elections held on 17 November 2007, the AAK gained control of 3 municipalities in western Kosovo: Peja, Gjakova and Deçan.

At the municipal elections held on 15 November 2007, the party gained 8 of 37 municipalities of Kosovo.

Political position

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AAK has been described as a pro-European[7] and right-leaning[8][9] party. Party leader Ramush Haradinaj announced his party's support for the passage of a Civil Code legalising same-sex civil unions, in spite of his personal support "for traditional families—father, mother, [and] child."[10]

Party name and symbols

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The party flag is red, black and white. White represents peace; red and black are the national colours of the 96% Albanian majority of Kosovo.

The choice of the party's name, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) is explained in Ramush Haradinaj's second book. Whereas previous Kosovo party acronyms began with consonants, a vowel was chosen for AAK because it seems less harsh and more open. The word "future" was chosen to mark a break with the old communist tendency to reflect backwards upon one's history. Finally, "alliance" was chosen because of its association with the NATO alliance which is much revered in Kosovo for its intervention in the Kosovo War of 1999, and also because it evokes the idea of working together to achieve one's aims. The alliance was originally formed by several smaller parties:

Election results

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Year Votes %Votes Overall seats won Albanian seats Position +/– Government
2001 61,688 7.83%
8 / 120
8 / 100
Steady 4th Steady Opposition
2004 57,931 8.39%
9 / 120
9 / 100
Increase 3rd Increase 1 Coalition
2007 54,611 10.35%
10 / 120
10 / 100
Decrease 4th Increase 1 Opposition
2010 77,130 11.04%
12 / 120
12 / 100
Steady 4th Increase 2 Opposition
2014 69,793 9.54%
11 / 120
11 / 100
Steady 4th Decrease 1 Opposition
2017 Part of the PAN Coalition
10 / 120
10 / 100
Steady 4th Decrease 1 Coalition
2019 96,872 11.51%
13 / 120
13 / 100
Steady 4th Increase 3 Opposition
2021 62,111 7.08%
8 / 120
8 / 100
Steady 4th Decrease 5 Opposition
2025 66,226[11] 7.07%
5 / 120
5 / 100
Steady 4th Decrease 3

References

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  1. ^ Korhonen, Jani (3 October 2019). "Kosovan Elections: Fractured Alliances Cast Long Political Shadows". Europe Elects.
  2. ^ a b c Political Parties in Kosova – Profile and Ideology, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, 2008 Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Haradinaj: I will call a referendum on the unification of Kosovo with Albania in 2025, Kossev, 19 January 2021
  4. ^ "Kosovo: early elections to be held June 8". ANSA. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  5. ^ "Kosovo - Europe Elects". Europe Elects. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  6. ^ "Kosovo - Europe Elects". Europe Elects. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  7. ^ "Kosovo - Europe Elects". Europe Elects. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  8. ^ "Kosovo - Europe Elects". Europe Elects. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  9. ^ "Kosovo's election committee details results of legislative election as Kurti toils to form Cabinet". ABC News. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  10. ^ Xharra, Jeta. "Ramush Haradinaj Strives for Kosovo PM Seat, Promising Better Relations with US, NATO Membership". Pristina Insight. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  11. ^ AAK-NISMA total of votes