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4mo ago

Trump’s 2024 Campaign Strategists Propel Albanian Opposition Ahead of May 11 Election

Sali Berisha, Albania’s opposition leader, leverages Trump-linked advisers in a bid to unseat Prime Minister Edi Rama and end 12 years of Socialist Party rule.

Chris LaCivita, who served as co-campaign manager of Donald Trump's successful 2024 presidential campaign, attends a news conference with Sali Berisha, leader of Albania's main opposition center-right Democratic Party that he is consulting for in the upcoming May 11 parliamentary election, in Tirana, Albania, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo)
Photo composite illustration of Edi Rama, Sali Berisha and Chris LaCivita
Chris LaCivita, who served as co-campaign manager of Donald Trump's successful 2024 presidential campaign, listens during a news conference with Sali Berisha, leader of Albania's main opposition center-right Democratic Party that he is consulting for in the upcoming May 11 parliamentary election, in Tirana, Albania, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo)
Chris LaCivita, who served as co-campaign manager of Donald Trump's successful 2024 presidential campaign, shakes hands with Sali Berisha, leader of Albania's main opposition center-right Democratic Party that he is consulting for the upcoming May 11 parliamentary election, in Tirana, Albania, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo)

Overview

  • Sali Berisha, Albania's former prime minister, has enlisted key figures from Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, including Chris LaCivita and Paul Manafort, to steer his political comeback.
  • Berisha is challenging Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party in a closely watched May 11 parliamentary election, with polls suggesting a competitive race.
  • Berisha’s campaign has adopted populist tactics and messaging inspired by Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ strategy, rebranded locally as ‘Make Albania Grandiose.’
  • The election introduces diaspora voting for the first time, adding an unpredictable element to the outcome in a nation where polling reliability is limited.
  • A Berisha victory could reshape Albania’s U.S. relations, EU accession prospects, and regional dynamics, as his campaign seeks to overturn his 2021 U.S. corruption designation.