Albanian election sees old rivals, new parties and an ambitious promise of European Union membership

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Prime Minister Edi Rama is seeking a fourth term as Albania’s prime minister in a general election on Sunday, after taking on his political nemesis in a boisterous campaign dominated by the country’s uphill effort to join the European Union.

Rama’s Socialist Party says it can deliver EU membership in five years, sticking to an ambitious pledge while battling conservative opponents with public recriminations and competing promises of pay hikes.

Opening up the election to voters abroad for the first time has added to the volatility, along with the appearance of new parties, a shift in campaigning to social media and a recent TikTok ban. And Rama’s opponents have hired a heavy hitter from the United States to steer their campaign.

The country of 2.8 million people, with 3.7 million eligible voters including the diaspora casting ballots for the first time ever by mail, will elect 140 lawmakers to four-year terms, choosing from 2,046 candidates representing 11 political groupings, including three coalitions.

Black and blue baseball caps

Rama, 60, secured the start of EU membership negotiations last October and is relying heavily on that momentum. His campaign also highlighted achievements in infrastructure and justice reform.

Under the party slogan, “Albania 2030 in EU, Only with Edi and SP,” Rama insists that full EU accession is possible by 2030 with annual funding of 1 billion euros ($1.13 billion) upon joining.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is pressing Albania to continue reforms — particularly in governance and anti-corruption efforts — to stay on track for EU membership.

Commentators are also skeptical. “It is an electoral pledge which is a citizens’ desire,” independent analyst Aleksander Cipa says, describing Rama’s timeline as “not realizable.”

Rama’s main challenger is Sali Berisha, a hoarse-voiced and energetic 80-year-old survivor of Albania’s tumultuous politics. Berisha, a former president and prime minister, has led the conservative Democratic Party of Albania since its founding in 1990, when student protests marked the end of communist isolation.

He argues that Albania still isn’t ready for EU membership. Berisha’s leadership — fraught with party feuds and corruption allegations — and messaging remain contentious. He started the campaign — borrowing from U.S. President Donald Trump — with the slogan “Make Albania Great Again,” but eventually settled on “Grandiose Albania.”

Albania’s Democratic Party hired Chris LaCivita, the veteran Republican political consultant and architect of Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.

Berisha often appears at rallies wearing a blue baseball cap marked with a No. 1, the party’s position on the ballot. In response, Rama sports a black cap emblazoned with the Socialist Party’s No. 5.

Economic and tourism pledges

Economic concerns have been central to the campaign.

The Socialists say they will accelerate a tourism boom, from 10 million arrivals in 2024 to 30 million by 2030, diversifying destinations by expanding infrastructure projects.

The Democrats argue that the government’s dismal performance has driven more than 1 million Albanians to leave the county over the past decade.

Both parties have made similar promises: a minimum pension of 200 euros ($225), an average monthly salary of 1,200 euros ($1,365), and a minimum wage of 500 euros ($570) – about 20% or higher than current levels. Berisha also advocates a 10% flat tax, value-added tax refunds for basic food items, a consumer card loaded with government money for retirees to buy basic foodstuffs at discounted prices and other benefits.

The pledges have blurred ideological lines and politics dominated by two parties has encouraged the creation of alternatives. Several newer parties — two from the center-right and two left-wing ones — could emerge as kingmakers, if no major party wins a majority.

But analyst Lutfi Dervishi considers that scenario unlikely.

“It’s a campaign without debate and results without surprises,” he said. “Elections won’t shake up the current scene — neither the system nor the main actors.”

Corruption and justice

Despite Albania’s significant improvement in Transparency International’s corruption index — rising from 116th in 2013 to 80th in the ranking in 2024 — corruption remains the country’s Achilles’ heel and a stumbling block for European integration.

Sweeping judicial reforms launched in 2016 with support from the EU and U.S. led to investigations and prosecutions of senior officials. Several former ministers, mayors and high-ranking officials have been jailed, while others face ongoing investigations.

Despite promises of cleaner governance, both major parties are fielding candidates facing corruption allegations.

Berisha himself has been charged with corruption and is awaiting trial. In 2021, the U.S. government barred him and his close relatives from entering the country over alleged corruption. The United Kingdom followed suit in 2022.

Last October, Ilir Meta, a former president and now head of the left-wing Freedom Party of Albania that’s allied with Berisha, was arrested on corruption allegations. He’s running for a parliamentary seat in Tirana.

The capital’s mayor, Erion Veliaj, a senior Socialist official, was detained in February amid a corruption investigation involving public funds. He’s not running for reelection. All the accused have denied wrongdoing.

While Rama’s Socialists take credit for the reformed judiciary, Berisha has vowed to dissolve it, describing it as a tool of the Rama government’s selective justice.

TikTok and the ‘swamp owl’

Social media has become a primary vehicle for campaigning. Rama hosts daily Facebook livestreams to engage with voters. Berisha has followed suit, though less frequently.

The government has imposed a 12-month ban on TikTok, citing concerns over incitement and online bullying. Opposition parties condemned the move as censorship.

A code of conduct introduced by the Albanian ombudsman to encourage ethical campaigning fell flat as political discourse grew increasingly toxic. Rama described Berisha as a “swamp owl” — a metaphor for graft — while Berisha branded Rama as a “chief gangster.”

Albania’s past elections often have been marred by irregularities, including vote-buying and ballot manipulation.

More than 570 international observers will be monitoring this year’s parliamentary election, highlighting the international community’s stake in ensuring a credible and transparent process.