Tired voters in post-campaign parliamentary elections dominated by EU hope and political corruption will vote.
The Albanians are casting votes in the general election, and Prime Minister Eddie Rama is seeking an unprecedented fourth term after a campaign ruled by European Union membership and promises of corruption allegations.
The polling station opened on Sunday at 7am local time (05:00 GMT) and closed at 7pm (17:00 GMT), with results expected on Monday.
Approximately 3.7 million Albanians, including hundreds of thousands of people living abroad, are eligible to vote. For the first time, members of the Diaspora can vote by mail.
Since 2013, Rama, the leader of the Governance Socialist Party, has established himself as the architect of the future of the EU in Albania. He pledged that the country would join the bloc by 2030 and repeat the promise at its final rally.
Rama’s main rival, 80-year-old Sari Belisha, is a former president and prime minister and leads the conservative Democrats.
Despite being banned from entering the US and the UK for alleged corruption he denied, Berisha retained and adopted loyal supporters such as “make Albania great again.”
The llama is facing allegations of national capture, and opposition voices warn that the political playing field is not uniform.
Critics say that Lama’s control over public institutions undermines democratic checks.
Rama’s regime was not spared scrutiny. His close ally, Tirana mayor Elion Velia, was arrested this year on suspicion of corruption and money laundering. Both men deny the allegations.
“I want to leave the country.”
Political contests are, in many ways, rematches of old rivals. Rama and Belisha have ruled public life since the collapse of communism in 1990. Many young voters were disillusioned with both.
“People like Lama and Belisha have been here for 30 years and they’ll just replace themselves, so I’ll vote for new politicians,” said Arbor Kazimi, 21.
Others, like Elisa, an economics student, have planned to abstain entirely. “I’m studying and staying there, not staying there, and she said, reflecting the sentiment of many of the estimated 1 million Albanians who have moved over the past decade.
Because socialists could potentially need allies to maintain a narrow majority, small parties could prove decisive in shaping the next government.
The campaign trail has moved primarily to social media platforms, but the year-long ban on Tiktok (imposed on online bullying and instigation) led to censorship.
To sharpen their message, Democrats introduced American political strategist Chris Lacivita, known for his role in US President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign.
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