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6d ago

Albania's Socialists Lead in Election, Poised for Fourth Term

Preliminary results show Prime Minister Edi Rama's Socialist Party with 53% of the vote, signaling a likely majority as the country eyes EU membership by 2030.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is seeking a fourth straight term in an election Sunday
People pass a billboard of the opposition Democratic Party (ASHM) that reads "Vote Grandiose Albania, 1,200 euros average salary, 10% flat tax," in Tirana, Albania, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)
People pass a billboard of the opposition Democratic Party (ASHM) that reads "Vote Grandiose Albania, 1,200 euros average salary, 10% flat tax," in Tirana, Albania, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)
Ballot boxes are checked following the end of the voting procedure in Albania's parliamentary election after a boisterous campaign dominated by the country's uphill effort to join the European Union and Prime Minister Edi Rama's bid for a fourth term, in Tirana, Albania, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

Overview

  • With 25% of votes counted, the Socialist Party leads with 53%, positioning them to secure the 71-seat majority needed to govern alone.
  • Prime Minister Edi Rama seeks a fourth consecutive term, campaigning on promises of EU membership by 2030 and infrastructure development.
  • The election marked Albania's first-ever diaspora voting, with 191,000 ballots cast by mail, adding a new layer of complexity to the process.
  • Corruption allegations have shadowed both major parties, including the arrest of Tirana's mayor, Erion Veliaj, and charges against opposition leader Sali Berisha.
  • International observers, including over 2,000 monitors, reported a largely peaceful voting process, with turnout slightly lower than in 2021.