CIVICUS discusses Albania’s recent election with Erida Skëndaj, Executive Director of the Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC), a non-partisan civil society organisation (CSO) dedicated to promoting fair and democratic elections.
On 11 May, Albania held a parliamentary election that secured a fourth consecutive term for Prime Minister Edi Rama, whose Socialist Party won 52.1 per cent of the vote. The election saw the historic introduction of diaspora voting, representing a significant expansion of democratic participation. However, the election also took place amid a backdrop of allegations of misuse of public resources, vote-buying and undue pressure on voters, raising concerns about electoral fairness. Civil society played a crucial role in monitoring the process and educating voters, even as it faced smear campaigns and reduced funding. The results are expected to influence Albania’s European Union (EU) accession process and governance reforms.
