Kosovo's new president assumed office, making her the country's and one of the world's youngest heads of state. Kosovo's Assembly elected Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, 38, to a five-year term on Sunday, making her the Balkan nation's second female leader in the post-war era.

On Tuesday, Osmani-Sadriu was sworn in as president in a ceremony that included a guard of honor. Due to the pandemic, Acting President Glauk Konjufca handed over the country's constitution without a more formal ceremony.

From November to late March, Osmani-Sadriu served as acting president. She took over for Hashim Thaci, who resigned after being charged with war crimes and crimes against mankind at The Hague's special court. During Kosovo's war for independence from Serbia in the late 1990s, Thaci was a rebel commander. The president of Kosovo is mainly ceremonial, but she is also the head of the armed forces and plays a key role in foreign policy.

Resuming normalization talks with Serbia, a former war foe, would be a top priority for her, despite Prime Minister Albin Kurti's government saying it isn't important on its priority list.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. More than a hundred countries accept it, but Serbia and Serbian allies such as Russia and China do not.

Outrage over MP's sexist remarks towards new Kosovo president

Kosovo's new president Osmani was the apparent victim of sexist remarks from an MP and professor before parliament had even finished voting her into office, prompting a protest on Monday asking for his resignation.

Around 50 students gathered outside the University of Pristina with signs reading "Sexists out" to demand the removal of political science professors and opposition politician Ardian Kastrati.

Though Kastrati did not specifically mention Osmani on Facebook, he did write that an excerpt from an article about a former senior female official during the Ottoman period had "made me laugh with tears." "A bucket-like belly and legs like a wooden container, with a pair of thick and mature paws, and a swollen and red face like a pepper," according to the article he quoted.

After an uproar, Kastrati, who was elected in a snap election in February, deleted the post. He said he wasn't directly targeting Osmani.

"Kastrati made an offensive and derogatory remark about President Vjosa Osmani's physique last night. Hate speech is encouraged by this language, and it should be prosecuted”. One of the student demonstrators, Liridona Sijarina, said. 

Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu also spoke out against it "Language of a low level that should be strongly denounced and opposed. Sexists and misogynists who disparage influential women simply because they are powerless to have no place at university ".