Legislative elections in Albania, considered a test for the road to the EU / what are the two central figures of the electoral struggle

The Albanians vote on Sunday to decide between the current prime minister Edi Rama and a fragmented, but determined opposition to overthrow him, in an election considered crucial for the European dreams of the small country in the Balkan Peninsula, reports France Presse.

Over 2,000 foreign and Albanian observers are involved in the poll, and the international community, in particular, closely pursues these elections, which seem to be a test of the good functioning of fragile institutions, after a fierce campaign. Albanian political life is often marked by incendiary verbal and rhetoric scandals, AFP recalls.

An election without problems would be all the more important as this country, by far the most Eurofile in the region, waited 13 years between granting the status of candidate for EU accession and opening negotiations in July 2022.

A new challenge appeared on Sunday, when the diaspora from abroad will vote for the first time. Albania, where salaries are low, faces, as in other parts of the Balkans, with an exodus of its inhabitants in search of opportunities, especially young people with higher education to countries such as Germany and Italy.

According to the official figures of the Central Election Commission (CEC), almost 246,000 Albanians living abroad are registered on the electoral lists.

Their voting bulletins, sent by the International DHL carrier, with which the authorities have signed a contract, will be sent to the polling stations in their origin cities. Earlier this week, CEC reported delays in some areas, and the national press reported address errors in the delivery of electoral envelopes.

Edi Rama wants the fourth prime minister's term

In total, about 3.7 million voters were called to choose between the candidates of the 40 parties entered at these elections, with a campaign that was shaded by the battle between Edi Rama and Sali Berisha.

The first, aged 60 and leader of the 2005 Socialist Party, is trying to obtain a fourth consecutive term of prime minister, which would be unprecedented.

Former student leader who opposed the communist regime that dominated the country for more than four decades, former mayor of Tirana and former Minister of Culture, Rama became the head of the Government in 2013. His main business card: the promise to join the EU “by 2030”.

The opposition regularly accuses him of links with organized crime. He declares himself ready to “withdraw from political life if someone can establish links with corruption or criminal circles.”

The opposition leader promises “Albania Mare”

The second, 80 years old, is a right-wing personality. He was the first non -communist president of Albania and he allied with more than twenty parties who hopes to collaborate to remove Edi Rama from power.

Following the example of American President Donald Trump, Berisha promises “Albania Mare”, a program based on economic recovery, and resorted to the services of a American Republican Party consultant Chris Lacivita for his campaign.

Declared “persona non grata” in the United States and in the United Kingdom due to its alleged involvement in organized crime and corruption, Sali Berisha is also criminally prosecuted in Albania for “passive corruption of a high official”.

The accusations of fraud, a habit after the Albanian elections

In order to win the elections and take the power for the next four years, a majority of the 140 places in the legislature is needed.

Since the fall of communism, in the early 1990s, the results have been systematically challenged by the losers and gave rise to accusations of fraud.

According to the electoral commission, the first scores of the parties will be published in the two days following the election.

This will happen just before the summit of the European Political Community of May 16 in Tirana (a structure created in 2022 by the 27 EU Member States and comprises 47 European countries, both EU and Nemembre, no) to discuss issues such as security and economic growth.