Albanian voters went to the polls in parliamentary elections on Sunday, with Prime Minister Edi Rama bidding for a record fourth straight term in power. The campaign was dominated by Rama’s pledge to take the country into the European Union within the decade and widespread corruption accusations across the political divide.
Voting was finished by 7 p.m., with the head of the Election Commission, Ilirjan Celibashi, saying that the official results would be made public by Tuesday. Rama has been the Socialist Party leader since 2013 and is regarded as the favorite to compete against the longtime opponent and former Prime Minister Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party.
Rama’s credibility is buttressed by a decade in office, stable economic performance, and his good reputation abroad. The past year, though, has seen increased criticism over alleged repression of the opposition, including taking legal action against Berisha, as well as scandals like the recent arrest on corruption and money laundering charges of Tirana mayor and Rama supporter Erion Veliaj. Veliaj and Berisha both claim to have done nothing wrong.
An Albanian Post and Klan Kosova TV exit poll anticipated 51.8% support for Rama’s party and 38% for Berisha’s. Other key TV networks opted not to release exit polls, citing ambiguity about the legal basis for it.
While Rama reaffirmed his EU dreams after voting, analysts are still in doubt about Albania’s capability to deliver the required reforms, particularly regarding deep-rooted corruption. Berisha too favors EU integration and ran for office on promises of salary increases and purging corruption from government institutions.
This election was historic with an estimated 200,000 Albanians abroad casting their ballots for the first time. Yet, much of the youth vote remains disillusioned with the Rama-Berisha dominated political establishment since the end of communism, citing extreme income disparity and a continuing emigration pattern among youth.
