Kosovo eyes constitutional amendment to guarantee diaspora seats in parliament

In the June 7 parliamentary elections, votes from the Kosovo diaspora shifted the allocation of seats, giving the ruling Vetëvendosje party five additional mandates. More than 22,000 citizens living abroad exercised their voting rights, influencing the ranking of elected deputies.

Experts say the trend of increasing diaspora influence could continue, and some propose reserving a fixed number of parliamentary seats for diaspora representatives. Professor Mazllum Baraliu noted that such direct representation would require a constitutional amendment, as the current constitution does not provide for quota seats. "It would be better to have direct representation through deputies with a designated quota," he said.

If adopted, the change could raise the number of guaranteed diaspora deputies beyond the current five, potentially reshaping Kosovo’s electoral landscape.