Parlamentswahlen in Albanien 2009
Albania’s General Elections 2009

Summary/Abstract: Albania’s general elections on 28 June 2009 ended in a stalemate between a right-of-center party alliance led by prime minister Sali Berisha’s Democratic Party (PD) and two left-wing alliances, one dominated by the Socialist Party (PS), headed by Tirana’s mayor Edi Rama, the other by the Socialist Integration Movement (LSI), a breakaway faction of the Socialists, chaired by former prime minister Ilir Meta. There were only three parliamentary seats left for minor parties; most smaller parties have vanished from parliament. The opposition alliances got about 4 % more votes than the ruling parties in the elections, but were at disadvantage by the new regionalized electoral system. The LSI has accepted Berisha’s invitation to join the government, Meta returning to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Rama’s position within his party was at stake, but he was re-elected by general suffrage of all PS members against fierce opposition of former prime minister Fatos Nano’s supporters and other critics. The Socialist Party pretends massive manipulations and fraud refusing to acknowledge defeat; they boycotted the first sessions of the new parliament. The future of Albania’s party system is uncertain.

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