The assembly of Kosovo on Wednesday marked the end of its mandate after 90 out of its 120 MPs voted to dissolve it. Four deputies were against the motion, while three others abstained.
Τhe move follows a decline in assembly support for the ruling coalition of government leader Hashim Thaci over the last two years.
Kosovo leader Atifete Jahjaga will now consult leaders of various political parties to set the date for early elections within 45 days. June 8 is date proposed by the ruling party PDK, while the opposition prefers June 15.
The dissolved assembly leaves in limbo initiatives for election reform and the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into an army.
In terms of ethnic balance in the assembly, today's move marks the end of the last mandate for minorities' reserved seats. The Serbian member of the Kosovo assembly, Rada Trajkovic, said due to this decision Serbs would have only ten MPs in the next assembly.
According to Kosovo's constitution, minorities have reserved seats in the assembly, apart from 20 guaranteed seats. The international community and minorities pushed for maintaining reserved seats for two more mandates but the efforts were stopped short when the assembly was dissolved.