The initial results from Tuesday’s Albanian elections reveal a decisive win for the incumbent Socialist Party. This success is largely attributed to its appeal to voters who back the nation’s ongoing pursuit of European Union membership and Prime Minister Edi Rama’s campaign for a fourth term in office.
With approximately 96% of ballots tallied, the Socialist Party, led by Rama, has secured 52.09% of the votes. This translates to 82 seats in the country’s 140-seat legislature. In contrast, the opposition coalition, led by Sali Berisha’s center-right Democratic Party, garnered 34.44% of the votes, acquiring 52 seats. The remaining seats will be occupied by three smaller parties.
The Central Election Commission, which oversees Albania’s electoral process, has indicated that, according to legal stipulations, the final results will be announced within 48 hours of polls closing.
The Socialists have set forth a bold commitment to achieve EU membership within five years. This proposition is part of Rama’s broader agenda, despite facing criticism from the Democratic Party led by Berisha, who contend that Albania remains unprepared for such a significant transition into the EU bloc.