[1] Thaçi was born in Tetovo and his parents were both Albanians from Kosovo, he is the fifth of six children.

He attended primary and secondary school in Tetovo and graduated from the University of Pristina.

He started as vice-president of the Party for Democratic Prosperity of Albanians (PDPA).

He was vice-president until the year 2006, at that time he was chosen President of the Party, after Arbën Xhaferi resigned.

As of July 2012, along with DUI vice-president Xhevat Ademi, president of New Democracy Kastriot Haxhirexha, and seven other Macedonian Albanian political figures for involvement in the 2001 ethnic Albanian insurgency.