Why Albania’s election is a critical test for EU membership – DW – 05/09/2025

On Could 11, Albania will maintain its first parliamentary election for the reason that nation formally opened accession negotiations with the European Union in July 2022.

Prime Minister Edi Rama and his ruling Socialist Social gathering (SP) are each aiming for an historic fourth time period. In the meantime, the opposition stays fragmented, with the Democratic Social gathering (DP) because the second-strongest political drive, adopted by a spread of smaller political events and actions.

The upcoming vote is broadly thought to be a decisive second for Albania’s democratic trajectory, its dedication to combating corruption and its long-standing aspiration to hitch the EU.

A complete of three.7 million Albanian residents are eligible to elect 140 members of parliament — with the Albanian diaspora collaborating within the poll for the primary time.

Working on the EU accession ticket

The Socialist Social gathering launched its election marketing campaign at noon on April 12, a second laden with symbolism.

The kickoff occasion in Skanderbeg Sq. featured a stage designed to resemble the EU flag with 12 stars, underscoring the occasion’s central message, particularly that EU integration stays its core political goal. The occasion’s marketing campaign slogan — “Albania 2030 in the EU” — additional underpins this message.

“Only we hold Albania’s European future in our hands,” declared Rama, urging voters to help the SP, who he says is the one political drive able to reaching EU membership.

Can Rama assure EU membership?

However political analysts argue that membership of the EU is primarily a technical course of primarily based on candidate international locations assembly particular standards set by Brussels. These standards transcend political slogans and require sustainable institutional reform.

“Using EU integration as an election message harms the real meaning of the process, because Albania needs to implement reforms, build a functional rule of law, fight corruption and go through a broad societal transformation,” political analyst Afrim Krasniqi, govt director of the Albanian Institute for Political Research, advised DW.

“This promise is a spectacular approach,” mentioned Elvin Luku, a professor of communications on the College of Tirana. “Twelve years in power have worn out this government, so, the promise of a European Union passport seems to be the only option left to boost the campaign.”

A divided opposition united

“This is the strongest coalition Albania has seen in 32 years,” declared Sali Berisha, former prime minister and chief of the Democratic Social gathering (DP), in March as he offered the Alliance for a Magnificent Albania, an alliance of opposition events.

In an try and win the voters’ belief and backing on Could 11, this alliance is promising to enhance the residents’ way of life, with proposals like elevating the typical wage to €1,200 ($1,363) and rising pensions by 20%.

Nonetheless, after 12 years in opposition and with a number of divisions throughout the DP, the challenges proceed.

Though Berisha’s launch from home arrest after the Albanian judiciary introduced corruption prices towards him briefly revitalized the DP’s base, the previous prime minister stays below investigation at dwelling and below each US and UK sanctions for corruption and undermining democracy, limiting his credibility on the worldwide stage.

Berisha’s ally, Ilir Meta, former president and chief of the Freedom Social gathering, stays in detention, arrested in 2024 on prices of corruption and cash laundering.

In response to Krasniqi, the checklist of candidates working for the opposition clearly signifies that the opposition’s objective is to safe immunity and safety for figures below investigation quite than to reform itself.

New events search to shake up Albanian politics

In an electoral panorama lengthy dominated by the SP and DP, a number of new events have entered the race, hoping to supply a reformist different.

Amongst them is Levizja Bashke (the Collectively Motion), a left-leaning motion with roots in civic activism, Shqiperia behet (Making Albania), a celebration born out of anti-corruption advocacy and Mundesia (The Alternative), which is led by entrepreneur and former lawmaker Agron Shehaj.

Whereas early polls recommend these new events have restricted possibilities of having a significant impression, analysts see their participation as a constructive improvement for Albanian democracy.

“For the first time, we are seeing new parties that are not simply branches of the old ones, but that offer voters other alternatives. This helps make politics less centralized,” mentioned Krasniqi.

Free vote, managed illustration

Current adjustments to the electoral code have launched a type of preferential voting, permitting voters to precise their choice for candidates inside a celebration checklist.

Nonetheless, one essential limitation stays: One-third of every checklist is closed, that means that the rating of candidates on this part is determined by occasion leaders and can’t be altered by voters.

Briefly, these candidates have safe mandates. Political analysts argue that what might look like a gap for voters is, in reality, a mechanism that reinforces occasion management management and limits real competitors.

In response to Krasniqi, political rivalry has shifted to throughout the events themselves, decreasing competitors between opposing events. “The lists are the result of a process that lacks meritocracy, which aims to reduce the chances of alternative access within parliamentary groups,” he mentioned.

A risk to the judicial system?

As Albania’s fundamental political events enter the ultimate days of the marketing campaign for Sunday’s parliamentary election promising to strengthen the rule of regulation and fight corruption, their candidate lists inform a unique story.

Each the ruling Socialist Social gathering and the opposition Democratic Social gathering have included candidates who’re at present below investigation by Albania’s Particular Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Construction (SPAK).

In response to knowledge from Qendresa Qytetare, a civic group that displays public integrity, 15 candidates from the SP and DP are below investigation, seven of them in secure seats. Whereas these candidacies don’t technically break the regulation, political analysts argue that they undermine the justice system.

“The inclusion by major parties of candidates who are under criminal investigation is a step backward for democracy in Albania,” mentioned Rigels Xhemollari, govt director of Qendresa Qytetare.

“Some of the names on the lists are family members of known criminal figures or individuals who were previously removed from politics in accordance with the decriminalization law,” he added.

Xhemollari warned that if these candidates are elected to parliament, they may play a big function in undermining the justice system. In the meantime, SPAK has introduced that it’s at present investigating 35 circumstances of electoral crimes.

Election a essential take a look at for EU integration

In response to a report from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights dated April 28, the political setting in Albania is characterised by “a high degree of polarization and mistrust between the two main parties,” elevating considerations in regards to the equity of the method.

Sunday’s election is broadly seen as a decisive take a look at of Albania’s democratic maturity and its path towards EU membership.

Whereas the nation has made progress by way of judicial reform, notably because of SPAK’s investigations into high-level corruption, elections stay a weak level.

Edited by: Aingeal Flanagan