The elections that have not given hope, this time again more than half are not expected to vote

On May 11, Albania will hold democratic elections for the 11th time since the fall of the totalitarian regime, but the political forces that have led the country in these 34 years have not been effective in building a state that offers security, hope, and development to its citizens.

Economic growth has been stable, but its results in reducing poverty and inequality have been weak.

The latest Eurostat data shows that Albania has around 42% of the population at risk of being poor, the highest level in Europe, while the latest World Bank report showed that more than 80% of Albanians think that economic inequality has increased, the highest percentage in the region.

The lack of a vision for long-term development has had serious consequences for demographic developments. The United Nations has ranked Albania on the top list of countries with high emigration, especially among young people, in the last decade.

This mass exodus has made voter registration fictitious. For example, in the 2021 general parliamentary elections, there were 3,588,869 people registered as eligible to vote, but 1,614,048 people or only 46.3% went to the polls, the lowest turnout since 1992.

More than indifference to political developments, the low turnout is justified by the fact that nearly half of Albanians with the right to vote live abroad.

While the country's population is shrinking, the number of people with voting rights is fictitiously increasing, as a good portion of Albanian immigrants are still present in the civil status registers.

In the 2021 parliamentary elections, the number of voters was 9.7% higher than in the 2013 elections, but those who voted were 5% fewer than in 2013.

3,713,761 people are eligible to vote in these elections, or 3.5% more than in 2021.

High emigration has reduced voter turnout. From over 90% turnout in the 1990s, in 2021 Albania had only 46.3%, ranking us among the countries with the lowest voter turnout in the region.

Albania has entered a phase of demographic contraction, with an increasing median age and a decreasing natural population growth rate. Young voters are less motivated to vote, while a large proportion of young people emigrate shortly after the age of 18. These developments have led to a decrease in real participation and a weakening of the influence of the younger generation in politics.

Innovation from diaspora votes

According to the final list published by the Ministry of Interior, the total number of Albanian citizens eligible to vote in the May 11, 2025 elections is 3,713,761.

For the first time, Albanians living abroad will have the opportunity to vote in the parliamentary elections. According to the Central Election Commission, 245,935 Albanian citizens abroad have registered.

This time, a regional proportional electoral system with partial open lists is being applied, which was adopted after amendments to the Electoral Code in July 2024. In this system, one third of the candidates are on closed lists and are appointed by party leaders. While two thirds are open and voters can express their preferences for candidates.

According to data from the CEC, 26% of registered voters from the diaspora are from Italy, 29.7% from Germany and 10% from Greece. Tirana has the largest number of registered Albanians from the diaspora with approximately 75 thousand people or 30% of the total, followed by Fier, Elbasan and Durrës.

Envelopes with diaspora votes had better returns in Germany due to better postal infrastructure, while Greece had a slower pace due to delays in parcel delivery.

The highest impact of diaspora votes will be in large districts such as Tirana, Fier, Elbasan and Durrës, where the diaspora can decide 19-20 mandates. The envelope must arrive at the CEC no later than 19:00, May 11, 2025.

Many Albanians in emigration do not have an official address or are not equipped with the proper documentation.

Registration is not automated, which has significantly reduced turnout. If the entire registered diaspora were to vote, they would constitute 7% of the national total. But due to the low number of registered voters and logistical obstacles, the real impact on these elections is expected to be very limited.

In the fourth decade of transition, politics has not offered a solution to curb mass emigration. The country has lost almost 40% of its population since the 1990s and is among the fastest aging countries in Europe, while there is no supportive policy for youth. Corruption remains the biggest perceived problem, according to reports by the EU and Transparency International.

Scandals, boycotts, and the lack of real political alternatives have eroded citizens' faith in democracy.

Albania is awaiting the opening of negotiation chapters with the EU, but the conditions for reform in justice, media and public administration remain unfulfilled./ MONITOR