Vjosa Osmani bids to become Kosovo’s first woman PM

Looking back to her childhood in conflict-wracked Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani remembers listening quietly as dozens of men gathered in her father’s living room to discuss the political future of the breakaway Serbian province.

Two decades later, the 38-year-old is determined to be the one leading the meetings as she bids to become Kosovo’s first female Prime Minister in October 6 elections.

It would be a radical change in a patriarchal society where men reign supreme in politics, business and often in the home.

But Osmani says her gender is an asset.

“I can do it precisely because I am a woman,” she told AFP from the headquarters of her party, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK).

The curly-haired law professor-turned-MP is hoping to ride a wave of disappointment in the men who have mired the young democracy in corruption and poverty since its 2008 independence.

The former province is still led by the ethnic-Albanian guerillas who fought Serbia during the 1998-99 war and for whom gender equality is not a priority.

While a quota ensures women’s representation in parliament, leadership positions overwhelmingly remain the playground of men. Men run all of Kosovo’s 38 municipalities, while the previous 21-member cabinet boasted a single female minister.

President Hashim Thaci also has only one woman in his cadre of political advisors.

While parliament did appoint a female president, Atifete Jahjaga, in 2011, the people have never elected a woman to lead the government.

Osmani wants to upend those norms with the backing of one of Kosovo’s largest and oldest parties, whose founder, Ibrahim Rugova, is considered the “father of the nation”.

Analysts say she has a strong chance of taking home a large share of votes on election day.

Yet Kosovo’s fractured political scene means no party is likely to win an absolute majority, leaving Osmani to forge a coalition to oust the establishment PDK, in power since 2007.

While her party once allied with the PDK, Osmani appears to be ruling that out under her watch. “We will remove from power those who have strangled Kosovo,” she told supporters during a campaign event on Tuesday night in western Pec.

“On October 6, we will send the PDK and its corrupt partners into a long opposition.”

After studying international law in the US and working as a professor, Osmani became a lawmaker in 2011, coming face to face with what she describes as Kosovo’s “nasty” political scene.

That unpleasant nature was on display recently when two male MPs sparred in a TV debate.

After one politician made disparaging comments about the other’s wife, his opponent retorted by calling him the female version of his name, saying “you look a bit like a woman”.

After the programme, the men reportedly came to blows.

Osmani says she encounters sexism out campaigning, but interprets attacks on her gender as a sign of their “insecurity”.

“My political opponents are afraid of the big change we will bring” she said at a recent rally.

 

Vjosa Osmani bids to become Kosovos first woman PM

Looking back to her childhood in conflict-wracked Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani remembers listening quietly as dozens of men gathered in her fathers living room to discuss the political future of the breakaway Serbian province. Two decades later, the 38-year-old is determined to be the one leading the meetings as she bids to become Kosovos first female Prime Minister in October 6 elections. It would be a radical change in a patriarchal society where men reign supreme in politics, business and often in the home. But Osmani says her gender is an asset. I can do it precisely because I am a woman, she told AFP from the headquarters of her party, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). The curly-haired law professor-turned-MP is hoping to ride a wave of disappointment in the men who have mired the young democracy in corruption and poverty since its 2008 independence. The former province is still led by the ethnic-Albanian guerillas who fought Serbia during the 1998-99 war and for whom gender equality is not a priority. While a quota ensures womens representation in parliament, leadership positions overwhelmingly remain the playground of men. Men run all of Kosovos 38 municipalities, while the previous 21-member cabinet boasted a single female minister. President Hashim Thaci also has only one woman in his cadre of political advisors. While parliament did appoint a female president, Atifete Jahjaga, in 2011, the people have never elected a woman to lead the government. Osmani wants to upend those norms with the backing of one of Kosovos largest and oldest parties, whose founder, Ibrahim Rugova, is considered the father of the nation. Analysts say she has a strong chance of taking home a large share of votes on election day. Yet Kosovos fractured political scene means no party is likely to win an absolute majority, leaving Osmani to forge a coalition to oust the establishment PDK, in power since 2007. While her party once allied with the PDK, Osmani appears to be ruling that out under her watch. We will remove from power those who have strangled Kosovo, she told supporters during a campaign event on Tuesday night in western Pec. On October 6, we will send the PDK and its corrupt partners into a long opposition. After studying international law in the US and working as a professor, Osmani became a lawmaker in 2011, coming face to face with what she describes as Kosovos nasty political scene. That unpleasant nature was on display recently when two male MPs sparred in a TV debate. After one politician made disparaging comments about the others wife, his opponent retorted by calling him the female version of his name, saying you look a bit like a woman. After the programme, the men reportedly came to blows. Osmani says she encounters sexism out campaigning, but interprets attacks on her gender as a sign of their insecurity. My political opponents are afraid of the big change we will bring she said at a recent rally.