On March 6, Basha competes against Basha

Alfred Lela

They call these March 6 'partial elections'. They can also be called 'extraordinary elections'. In the sense that half of the municipalities in the race have fallen, not because of political routine, but because they have been caught by the sword of corruption and decriminalization.

This best explains the political situation in the country over the last decade.

But, whether we like it or not, these are not elections for Edi Rama and his government. These are elections for Lulzim Basha and 'his opposition'. Or what is left of the opposition, once noisy, once arched from 'the Cham' Shpëtim Idrizi to 'the Greek' Vangjel Dule.

Lulzim Basha has a terrifying relationship with the elections. In 2011 his victory in Tirana was wildly discussed. In 2019 he boycotted them. Every other election he said it was stolen from him.

But these elections are even more different.

He has taken his 'opposition' to the point where it has to compete not with the government, but itself. He has to face this political past, being part of it himself, even though today he comes out and says: I am the future.

Mr. Basha will face Sali Berisha and his supporters in the DP. He will face that part of the Democrats who have worked with him, but who no longer trust him.

He will also face himself, of course.

Saying he has 95 percent of Democrats with him, he needs to show those muscles in the March 6 election.

These are the first elections where he does not compete with Sali Berisha's support behind him. For a few months now, he has been saying, that all these years, Berisha has been an obstacle.

Now is the time to show everyone how much his skin is worth in freedom.