Basha's journey in politics, the coup that toppled him as leader of the Democratic Party

Lulzim Basha today resigned from leading the main political force of the right.

Basha led the DP for almost 9 years, succeeding Sali Berisha, who left after losing the 2013 elections.

Since taking over the leadership of the Democratic Party, Basha lost not a few but six consecutive elections, and yet, he continued to remain in the leading position, but the final blow he received part of the by-elections on March 6, where the Democratic Party from 6 to 5 municipalities was ranked third force for the first time.

The first rift and its last beginning at the helm of the DP seems to have started 6 months ago, when the big rift in the DP started, because Basha expelled former Prime Minister and former DP leader Sali Berisha from the parliamentary group with the announcement of his 'non grata' from the US.

It seems that this conflict marked its last beginning at the head of a party, which was divided and weakened by the civil war, as Berisha, although 77 years old, set in motion at the party base, attracting his supporters, not only in the party branches but also from the ranks of deputies.

In December, he convened an assembly of Democrats, which voted to oust Basha, a decision to hold a referendum.
The former prime minister's moves were not recognized by Basha, who also convened another Democratic assembly, opposing Mr Berisha.

Clashes between the parties escalated to the point that on January 8, Berisha and his supporters attempted to seize the party headquarters by force.

Meanwhile, the defeat of the last local by-elections on March 6 was no longer swallowed up by the Democrats, not even by Lulzim Basha's most trusted supporters, who openly opposed him and demanded his resignation from the post he holds.

Today, Basha, abandoned by everyone, resigned.  

Basha's political journey

Lulzim Basha hyri në skenën politike shqiptare në vitin 2005 si një fytyrë e re për Partinë Demokratike, pjesë e një platforme politike të krijuar nga Sali Berisha të quajtur “Komiteti për Orientimin e Politikave”. Basha, 48 vjeç, u bë ministër i Transporteve në vitin 2005 dhe u vu nën ndjekje penale për kontratën e ndërtimit të një autostrade 60 kilometra të gjatë të njohur si Rruga e Kombit, me konsorciumin amerikan dhe turk Bechtel Enka. Gjykata e Lartë e Shqipërisë i mbylli hetimet për shkak të skadimit të afateve hetimore.

Basha became Minister of Interior in 2009 while winning the mayoral election of Tirana in 2011 amid debates. In 2013, after Sali Berisha resigned from the post of party chairman, Basha was elected mayor, a position that was renewed in 2017 and June 2021, despite electoral losses in these two years.

In September 2021, Basha decided to expel former President Berisha from the parliamentary group due to the announcement of the latter by the United States as a person involved in major corruption.