How did PSD "capture" over 50% of the votes in rural areas?

“Kristian, don't play with two goals, Kristian! Don't play with two goals,” Prime Minister Edi Rama warned the head of the Municipality of Vau i Dejës, Kristian Shkreli, on May 4. The goal resembled a “ballot box” and the “goals” translated into many votes in favor of the Social Democratic Party.

In the Municipality of Vau i Dejës (a suburban municipality of the Shkodra District), the PSD came out on top, with 5,951 votes, followed by the DP with 4,698, and the PS took third place with 2,482 votes.

In the northern part of the country, the PSD, led by businessman Tom Doshi, a former MP, secured two mandates, precisely maintaining the same number of mandates as in 2021. Also in Tirana, the country's largest district, the PSD secured one mandate, without ever doubting that it would slip away from its hands. But where did the PSD find more support?  

votes

The Vau i Dejës case did not go smoothly. Three days after the elections, on May 14, at the request of SPAK, the Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO), ordered the seizure of the mayor's phone, which confirmed the case, but did not provide explanations on what suspicions it had been seized. It is suspected that there is evidence that there may be elements of involvement in electoral crimes in this municipality, but no flagrant cases have been recorded.

In the Shkodra Region, according to official data from the CEC (Central Electoral Commission), the PSD received 15,842 votes, while with the votes of the Diaspora for this region, the PSD secured 964. From the analysis of the result (based on CEC data), Faktoje.al found that in the urban area (Shkodra city), the PSD convinced only 2,645 voters and the majority of its "granary" belongs to small municipalities, or remote administrative units.

In Tirana

In Tirana Region, official CEC data show 14,451 votes for the PSD entity and only 330 votes from the Diaspora. Of this total, 4,944 votes were obtained in the rural areas of Tirana and 2,833 in the municipalities of Kavajë, Vorë, Rrogozhinë and Kamëz. About 52 percent of the votes, or 7,777, were obtained by the PSD in the rural areas, including Unit 1, which extends over a large territory with informal areas (mainly private residential houses and small businesses).

Dominance towards young women

The three new parties, "Mundësia"; "Shqipëria Bëhet" and "Lëvizja Bashkë", each of them have higher votes than the PSD, but they suffered precisely in rural areas, where they were unable to surpass the Social Democratic Party in any polling station. The rural part is mainly concentrated in agriculture and small service units.

What does the PSD program, which attracted many voters, say about agriculture?! "The mission continues" is written on a green background on the political entity's official website, while next to it in large format is a photo of its leader Tom Doshi.

In the agricultural program, they have briefly, but succinctly, addressed its points. "8% VAT compensation. Subsidy for each production unit and livestock head. Guaranteed minimum price for milk and meat. 50 new collection centers for agricultural products."

PSD 2021

PSD is no longer a surprise in the elections. In the 2021 parliamentary elections, PSD managed to receive much fewer votes than LSI, but secured three parliamentary mandates. PSD received 35,475 votes or 2.25% translated into three mandates. In the May 11 elections, PSD won 47,561 votes or 3.38% again 3 mandates. The most voted PSD candidate in the May 11 elections, Besnik Brahimi, received 3,509 votes, which means that the strategy of this political force has been clear: vote for PSD, no matter the candidate.

The party's history page states that there are 116 elected members of Municipal Councils across the country. "The mission continues..." is the phrase that appears with every click on the PSD's official website.  

4 arrests, 3 from the PSD

Of the four arrested for involvement in vote buying, in three cases SPAK suspects that the detainees were working in favor of the PSD, two detained in Kukës and one in Fier, the latter being the father of the PSD candidate in this district./ Faktoje.al