Albanians head to the polls on Sunday for legislative elections seen as crucial to gauging the country's democratic development, and its progress towards its goal of a European future.
The election pits Prime Minister Edi Rama against his arch-rival Sali Berisha, a right-winger who heads an alliance of opposition parties.
Rama, 60, has been Socialist Party leader since 2005 and is seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive term on the promise of European Union membership by 2030.
Berisha, 80, is eager to return to power after 12 years in opposition.
The former president's coalition has adopted the Donald Trump-esque slogan – "Great Albania", and is campaigning on a platform of economic revival.
"We are the only ones who can relaunch the country's economy, the only ones able to take Albania forward. Edi Rama is counting the last days of his regime," said Berisha.
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They include Chris LaCivita, who served as co-campaign manager of Trump’s successful 2024 effort; Trump’s longtime pollster Tony Fabrizio, and Paul Manafort, who served as chairman of Trump’s 2016 campaign – before he was convicted in 2018 of crimes that included secretly lobbying for Ukraine’s former pro-Russian president.
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“It’s the only Democrat Party I would ever consider working for,” quipped LaCivita, as he headed to the country for his third trip before Sunday's election.
Berisha, who is hoping the new American administration will reverse sanctions barring 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, particularly on social media, the latest polls indicate a win for Rama's party.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) meanwhile said there was "extreme political polarisation" in the Balkan nation of 2.8 million.
Berisha accuses the Socialists of "vote-buying, voter intimidation, pressure, use of public funds by ministers and majority candidates for their election campaign" – claims which Rama has dismissed as "nothing but an excuse for defeat".
Diaspora votes
For the first time in the history of elections in Albania, the diaspora is able to vote from abroad by post. This is being seen as a test for the development of democratic processes and institutions – in the context of EU accession negotiations, which began in 2022.
According to official data from the central electoral commission, 245,935 Albanians not resident in Albania are registered to vote.
"Albania has made significant process on the path to EU accession, demonstrating its perseverance in implementing ambitious reforms for the benefit of its citizens," Silvio Gonzato, the EU delegation's ambassador in Albania, told French news agency AFP.
The losers have challenged the results of every election since the fall of Communism at the start of the 1990s on the grounds of fraud.
This time the vote is being closely monitored and, in another first, civil servants and justice officials will be deployed alongside the electoral commission and some 300 international observers.
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For Brussels, Sunday's vote is a major test for Albania, which has been a member of Nato since 2009.
"The organisation of free and fair elections, in line with democratic norms and democratic values, will be an essential step to reinforce Albanian democracy, boost citizens' trust in their elected representatives and advance the country's European integration," said Gonzato.
Five days after the election, Tirana will host the European Political Community summit, an intergovernmental discussion forum about the future of Europe – established in 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, on the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron.
(With newswires)
