TIRANA (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Albania’s parliamentary elections in 2025, which many people saw as a turning point for the country’s democratic path and its long-held goal to join the European Union, ended with a preliminary win for Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party (SP). According to early voting results, the party has won a fourth consecutive term in government.
According to data from 4,943 of the 5,225 polling centres, the Socialist Party leads with 52.09 percent, with around 95 percent of the ballots counted. This gives the SP a projected 82 of 140 parliamentary seats.
The major opposition bloc, the “Democratic Party and Alliance for a Greater Albania-DP-ASHM,” received 34.50% of the vote and is expected to gain 51 seats. The Social Democratic Party comes in third with 3.47 percent of the vote, which translates to three mandates.
Several rising political movements obtained representation, including the “Opportunity” Party (two seats), the “Albania Initiative” coalition (one seat), and the “Together Movement” Party (one seat).
Sunday’s election was held under a newly reformed electoral system, the result of a rare cross-party parliamentary agreement. The hybrid system combined open and closed candidate lists, giving voters more influence over individual candidates while preserving some control over party leadership. In total, 2,046 candidates (1,259 men and 787 women) competed for office in 11 political groups.
Adriatik Lapaj, Arlind Qori, and Agron Shehaj were among the newcomers to the independent movement, campaigning on ideas that appealed to younger voters and those who were previously disengaged from politics.
More than 3.7 million residents, including Albanian citizens residing abroad, were able to vote for the first time. Over 254,000 ballots were distributed to the diaspora, with nearly 75% returned, indicating a substantial shift in electoral inclusion. In addition, more than 114,000 first-time voters took part in the election.
However, voter turnout in Albania was 42.21 percent, according to data from 3,037 voting centers—a decrease from prior elections. At 7 p.m., turnout had decreased from 45.41% in 2021 to 42.16%.
The campaign period was mostly peaceful, dominated by social media messaging, though opposition parties raised concerns over alleged misuse of public funds and pressure on public sector workers. Tensions flared in several areas on election day. In Lushnje, a confrontation occurred between Socialist and Democratic Party supporters, while in Vora, the Democratic Party’s secretary general, Flamur Noka, was accused of threatening behavior during a dispute with Socialist backers. In Tirana, Democratic Party officials reported a separate incident involving individuals allegedly found with sensitive election materials and cash.
Police arrested seven people over ballot-related crimes, including illegal vote photography. To reinforce election integrity, the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor (SPAK) dispatched investigators to all 12 regions. SPAK confirmed that inquiries into alleged electoral offenses are ongoing.
International observers, including representatives from the European Union and the OSCE/ODIHR, were present during the election. Speaking from Durrës, EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato underlined the need of legitimate elections for Albania’s EU accession aspirations.
The elections are viewed as a litmus test for the country’s democratic maturity and European destiny, rather than simply a political struggle.
