Elections in Albania, French media: Decisive test for EU membership amid deep divisions

The parliamentary elections in Albania, which are taking place in a polarized atmosphere, with Prime Minister Edi Rama seeking a fourth term and his rival Sali Berisha aiming to return to power after 12 years in opposition, have also attracted the attention of foreign media. 

Radio France Internationale ( RFI ) has published an in-depth analysis today, emphasizing that the elections in Albania are a decisive test for EU membership.
According to RFI, these elections are seen as essential for assessing the country's democratic development and its progress towards the objective of a European future.

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Today's elections pit Prime Minister Edi Rama against his longtime rival, Sali Berisha, a right-wing politician who leads an alliance of opposition parties.

Rama, 60, has been leader of the Socialist Party since 2005 and is seeking a fourth consecutive term, promising Albania's membership in the European Union by 2030.

Berisha, 80, aims to return to power after 12 years in opposition.

The former president's coalition has adopted the Donald Trump-style slogan - "Greater Albania", and is running its campaign on economic renaissance.

"We are the only ones who can revive the country's economy, the only ones who can move Albania forward. Edi Rama is counting the last days of his regime, " Berisha declared.

Some of the architects of Donald Trump's presidential campaigns have reunited in Albania to help Sali Berisha's campaign.

They include Chris LaCivita, who served as co-chairman of Trump's successful 2024 campaign; Tony Fabrizio, Trump's longtime pollster; and Paul Manafort, Trump's former 2016 campaign chairman — before being convicted in 2018 of crimes that included secretly lobbying for the pro-Russian former president of Ukraine.

“It's the only Democratic Party I would ever consider working for,” joked Chris LaCivita, as he headed to Albania for his third trip before Sunday's election.

Sali Berisha, who hopes the new US administration will lift sanctions that bar him from entering the United States, has also signed a two-year, $6 million contract with Continental Strategy, a Republican consulting and lobbying firm.

At the end of a campaign marked by confrontation, especially on social media, the latest polls show a victory for Rama's party.

Meanwhile, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has stated that there is "extreme political polarization" in this Balkan country of 2.8 million inhabitants.

Berisha accuses the Socialists of “vote buying, voter intimidation, pressure, use of public funds by ministers and majority candidates for their election campaign” – allegations that Rama has dismissed as “simply an excuse for the defeat.”

Diaspora votes
For the first time in the history of elections in Albania, the diaspora can vote from abroad by mail. This is being seen as a test for the development of democratic processes and institutions, in the context of EU accession negotiations, which have begun in 2022.

According to official data from the Central Election Commission, 245,935 Albanians who are not residents of Albania are registered to vote.

"Albania has made significant progress on its path towards EU membership, demonstrating its persistence in implementing ambitious reforms for the benefit of its citizens ," Silvio Gonzato, ambassador of the EU delegation to Albania, told the French news agency AFP.

Losers have contested the results of every election since the fall of communism in the early 1990s, claiming fraud.

This time, the vote is being closely monitored and, for the first time, civil servants and justice officials will be involved in the process, along with the election commission and around 300 international observers.

For Brussels, Sunday's vote is a major test for Albania, which has been a NATO member since 2009.

“Organizing free and fair elections, in accordance with democratic norms and values, will be an essential step for strengthening Albanian democracy, increasing citizens' trust in their elected representatives, and advancing the country's European integration,” Gonzato said.

Five days after the elections, Tirana will host the summit of the European Political Community, an intergovernmental forum for discussing the future of Europe – established in 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron.