AdvertisementThe Albanians went to the surveys for parliamentary elections on Sunday. Prime Minister Edi Rama is looking for an unprecedented fourth mandate after a campaign dominated by the promises of the European Union membership and the accusations of generalized bribery.
It is likely that Rama, in power as head of the Socialist Party since 2013, will overcome his former rival, former Prime Minister Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party.
The surveys show that Rama has a dominant advantage over Berisha, who has weakened by graft accusations, but his party may need the help of smaller parts to maintain a close majority of the four seats.
The final results are expected on Monday. A total of 3.7 million Albanian citizens are eligible to choose 140 members of Parliament, with the Albanian diaspora participating in the vote for the first time.
According to the World Bank, Rama’s performance in some areas is quite good. The annual economic growth of more than 4% for the period 2022-2024, due to trade with the EU and a tourist tree that has surpassed other Balkan countries, is a good example.
However, corruption is still a big problem, experts say, pointing out that criminal gangs that make billions of euros of traffic and weapons abroad are bringing it back to Albania to be washed.
EU membership promises
Rama’s Socialist Party says that the EU membership can deliver in five years, adventing an ambitious understanding while fighting conservative opponents with public recriminations and competitive promises of salary increases.
Open the elections to voters abroad for the first time has been added to volatility, along with the appearance of new parties, a change in the campaign to social networks and a recent Tiktok prohibition. And Rama opponents have hired a great batter from the United States to direct their campaign.
Rama, 60, said the start of the EU membership negotiations last October and greatly trusting that impulse. His campaign also highlighted the achievements in the Infrastructure and Justice Reform.
The head of EU Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, is pressing Albania to continue the partacular reforms in the governance and anti -corruption efforts to maintain the course of the EU membership.
‘Great Albania’
The main branch challenger is Sali Berisha, a survivor of 80 years of hoarse and energetic voice of the tumultuous politics of Albania. Berisha, former president and prime minister, led the conservative Democratic Party of Albania since its foundation in 1990, when students’ protests marked the end of communist isolation.
He argues that Albania is not yet ready for EU members. Berisha’s leadership, full of games and accusations of corruption, and messages remain controversial. The campaign began taking the slogan of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, who changed to “make Albania great again”, but any life was decided by “Grandiosa Albania”.
The Albania Democratic Party hired Chris Lacivita, the veteran Republican political consultant and architect of the Trump 2024 presidential campaign.
The participation up to 10 am (0800 GMT), three hours after the opening of the surveys, was 13.15%, agreed to the Central Electoral Commission, with less than less years ago. The surveys close at 7 PM (1700 GMT).
