"Stepping Stones to Europe: 2021 & 2025 Albanian Parliamentary Elections"
Albania's Parliamentary Elections Serve as a Crucial Assessment En Route to EU Adoption
Get ready to cast your vote as Albanians head to the polls on Sunday for a parliamentary election rich with implications for the nation's path to EU membership. Prime Minister Edi Rama wants a fourth term in office, guaranteeing continued pursuit of EU membership by 2030. His main competition comes from Sali Berisha, the right-wing former prime minister, who leads an opposition coalition reminiscent of U.S. President Donald Trump with their campaign slogan "Great Albania."
As of now, voting hours begin at 7:00 and conclude at 19:00. Preliminary results are projected to be announced by the Central Election Commission within a maximum of two days, and for the first time, over 245,900 eligible voters abroad have the opportunity to vote via mail.
The Socialist Party, led by Rama since 2005, seems poised for victory based on polls. This 60-year-old politician is no stranger to contests, aiming for another term amid allegations of corruption against his main opponent, the 80-year-old Berisha, who is currently under investigation by Albanian justice.
But let's rewind a bit. In the 2021 Albanian parliamentary election, the Socialist Party (PS) emerged triumphant with a majority of 74 seats in the 140-seat parliament. The election underlined the persistent drive towards EU membership, even though no concrete predictions for EU integration were evident in the search results. The campaign focused on economic matters and allegations of corruption—issues that are vital for Albania's EU aspirations.
As we look forward to 2025, the election features familiar faces and objectives:
- PM Edi Rama and the Socialist Party aimed for EU membership within five years and won a whopping 52.1% of the vote in 2025, securing Rama's fourth term as Prime Minister1.
- The opposition, spearheaded by Sali Berisha from the Democratic Party of Albania, criticized the Socialist Party on economic issues and accused them of perpetuating corruption and electoral irregularities4.
- European integration remained central to the election, with Rama's party emphasizing it as a key campaign promise2.
- Key issues like pensions, wages, infrastructure, and the fight against corruption and organized crime dominated the discourse in the 2025 election4.
Both elections highlight the need to address corruption and economic pressures to bolster Albania's EU accession prospects. In both contests, voters made their voices heard, with elections serving as crucial steps towards Europe.
Sources: ntv.de, AFP, BBC News, Al Jazeera, Open Europe, Institute for the Study of Diplomacy
The 2025 Albanian parliamentary election, much like its 2021 counterpart, underscores the persistent focus on European integration, with PM Edi Rama's party emphasizing it as a key campaign promise. Despite concerns over corruption and electoral irregularities, voters have continuously demonstrated their commitment to SOUTHWARD migration and joining the EU, viewing elections as essential trajectories towards Europe.
In the midst of discussions on pensions, wages, infrastructure, and the fight against corruption and organized crime, issues of war-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news have also played a significant role in shaping policy decisions, especially in light of Albania's strategic location and its proximity to areas of conflict and instability. This emphasizes the need for comprehensive employment and community policies to manage these complexities while bolstering Albania's EU accession prospects.
