The 10 strongest criticisms of the PACE report on the May 11 elections!

By Franc Nuri*

The final report of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), published on 19 June 2025, highlights serious problems that undermine the integrity and fairness of the parliamentary elections of 11 May 2025. Abuses of public resources, pressure on voters and the failure of state institutions to guarantee democratic standards are the most serious concerns according to the report. 

Below you will find a detailed breakdown of the 10 most serious election problems according to this international report:

1. Use of state resources in favor of the SP

The ruling party illegally benefited from fine forgiveness, important official activities before the elections, and the use of public infrastructure for campaigning, significantly harming political competition and equal competition between electoral subjects.

2. Vote buying and pressure on voters

The common forms of vote buying (money, interest-free loans, etc.) and pressure on administration employees (phone calls, inspections, threats) throughout the campaign expose a fundamental lack of voting freedom in Albania.

3. Serious irregularities during voting day and vote counting.

On May 11, numerous procedural violations were identified: violation of the secrecy of the vote, unauthorized presence of individuals in polling stations, interference by party representatives, as well as a lack of transparency in the counting, violations of standards which, according to the Report, led to a weak institutional process.

4. Failure of SPAK, the Prosecution and the Police to prevent electoral crimes

The institutional mechanism created for cooperation between SPAK, the Prosecution and the Police did not react in time to vote buying, pressure and criminal interference, failing to protect and conduct the elections fairly.

5. The impact of organized crime and clientelistic networks

The report highlights investigations into the intervention of criminal organizations and patronage networks, linked to local government structures, that have created systematic vote manipulation schemes in densely populated communities.

6. Information manipulation and censorship in the media and social networks

Media ownership is concentrated in political actors, while social networks operate without regulation. The ban on TikTok is perceived as an instrument to silence the opposition, making the campaign a biased “information field.” 

7. Lack of guarantees for fair elections according to European standards

In the absence of an equal political environment, where alternative and independent candidates are excluded, elections take place in an extreme "winner-takes-all" atmosphere, with no real space for political debate, pluralism, and democratic dialogue.

8. Problems with the diaspora vote

Although diaspora participation constitutes a positive innovation occurring for the first time, logistical and legal problems (postal delays, tight deadlines, manual counting) have limited voter participation, compromising the effectiveness of the process of involving voters from abroad.

9. Politicization of election administration at lower levels

Appointments of local commission members by parties weakened training and organization, causing an operational vacuum and problems on election day.

10. Problems in reporting and campaign financing

Financial transparency is weak: spending is not sufficiently monitored, sanctions for violators are lacking, and the relevant structures do not effectively control financial resources. This allows parties with unclear finances to dominate the campaign, undermining competition.

cONcluSiON

The Council of Europe's election report tears the electoral process apart. Beyond the diplomatic language, the report below the lines highlights that it was not the Socialist Party but the Albanian government that competed with other parties in the elections!

According to the report, the May 11 elections saw a failure of Albanian institutions to guarantee the integrity of the elections. The political culture of division and the lack of a level playing field for all competitors severely damaged the credibility and legitimacy of the May 11 elections. 

In conclusion, the Report underlines that Albania must continue with essential reforms, in line with European standards, so that elections are truly free, fair, and inclusive.

*Legal Representative of the Democratic Party at the CEC