Socialist Party Wins Albanian Parliamentary Elections
Socialist leader Edi Rama, May 11. 2025. X/ @valentinapop
May 12, 2025 Hour: 11:18 am
PM Edi Rama’s party gains nine more seats than in the 2021 elections, allowing it to govern for a fourth consecutive term.
On Sunday, Albania’s Central Election Commission announced that the Socialist Party won the country’s parliamentary elections, securing 83 out of the 140 seats in the legislature.
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With this result, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s party gains nine more seats than in the 2021 elections, allowing it to govern for a fourth consecutive term. Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party won three seats, and the conservative Democratic Party (PD) of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha remains the main opposition force with 50 seats.
The centrist party Mundësia (Possibility) is projected to win two seats, while the left-wing parties Bashkë (Together) and NISMA – Shqipëria bëhet (Initiative – Albania Will Succeed), both running on strong anti-corruption platforms, are expected to win one seat each.
Voter turnout among the nearly 3.7 million eligible voters was slightly above 42%, six percentage points lower than in the 2021 elections.
On Monday, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) confirmed that the elections were held without major incidents. “The elections were competitive and professionally administered, but they took place in a highly polarized environment where candidates did not have equal opportunities,” said Farah Karimi, head of the OSCE election observation mission.
“Candidates were able to campaign freely, although some reported facing intimidation,” added the Dutch lawmaker, noting that the campaign focused largely on personal attacks among candidates and party leaders, rather than on substantive debate over party platforms.
The OSCE, a regional security organization in Europe, deployed 300 observers to monitor the electoral process in the small former communist country, a NATO member since 2009.
The campaign was marked by promises of EU membership by 2023 and accusations of corruption. Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha refused to acknowledge the projected loss indicated by exit polls. Final results are expected to be announced on Tuesday.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
