European Forum

Report of the Socialist Party of Albania on general elections

The Socialist Party of Albania (SPA) published a report on the parliamentary elections held on the 28th of June 2009. According to SPA there were several major irregularities in the run to, during and after the elections. SPA presents prove to these irregularities in the report. Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) argued in their report that despite “tangible progress with regard to the voter registration and identification process, the elections did not fully realize Albania’s potential to adhere to the highest standards for democratic elections.”

The elections were won by the Democratic Party right-wing ‘Alliance for Change’ coalition who won 70 seats in the parliament. SP got 66 seats and the Social Movement for Integration (SMI) four seats. The DP fell one seat short of taking the reins, for 71 seats are needed to form a government, and the right-wing party extended a hand to SMI. SPA leader Edi Rama rejected the outcome, saying the poll was marred by fraud. The SPA is boycotting the parliament and Rama announced that the opposition will hold a massive rally on October 10^th, in Tirana, to protest “the injustices” of the government.