TIRANA, Albania โ The upcoming Albanian parliamentary election, scheduled for May 11, will be closely watched by an extensive array of over 300 international observers. These foreign monitors will be assessing the electoral process, including the unprecedented participation of Albanian citizens residing abroad. The monitoring will be carried out by a group from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), as announced on Wednesday.
The OSCEโs Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will deploy 338 officials to scrutinize the entire election process. Their mission will encompass evaluating the procedures before, during, and following the election day. The monitoring team will be led by Lamberto Zannier, and it aims to determine whether the election upholds standards of being free and fair.
Albania has been subject to OSCEโs electoral monitoring since 1996. This yearโs election introduces a new element: approximately 250,000 Albanians who reside overseas will be eligible to vote by mail for the first time. This addition increases the pool of potential voters to 3.6 million, a notable figure given the countryโs domestic population of under 2.4 million.
On election day, voters are set to choose 140 parliamentary representatives who will serve four-year terms. These candidates represent 26 political parties or coalitions, contributing to a diverse electoral competition. The current political landscape is dominated by Prime Minister Edi Ramaโs left-wing Socialist Party, which seeks a fourth consecutive term after taking power in 2013.
The major opposition force comes from the center-right Democratic Party, led by former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. The Democratic Party accuses the Socialist Party of engaging in corrupt practices, manipulating past elections, and overreaching judicial powers. On the other hand, both Berisha and his ally, former President Ilir Meta, who have partnered with the Democrats, face corruption allegations, claims they dismiss as politically driven.
In a broader context, Albania began formal discussions with the European Union (EU) in October to align with EU standards on governance, democracy, and anti-corruption initiatives. Prime Minister Rama has ambitions for Albania to attain EU membership by 2030.
Historically, Albanian elections have been contentious and often fraught with allegations of irregularities, including vote-buying and ballot tampering. The upcoming election is expected to be no exception, with international observers poised to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral process.