04/04/2025 Election observation
A four-member delegation* from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), led by Simone Billi (Italy, ECPA), made a pre-electoral visit to Albania on 3-4 April 2025 to assess the electoral campaign and the political climate ahead of the parliamentary elections on 11 May 2025.
The PACE pre-election delegation identified several challenges that need to be addressed to ensure democratic processes and fair and competitive elections.
The fight against corruption is an important and laudable goal. However, it is important that it is not seen as interfering with the democratic nature of the electoral process by favouring one political party or another, which could undermine public confidence in the fight against corruption and trust in the electoral process.
The PACE delegation heard that there is a deep-rooted 'winner-takes-all' culture of political competition in Albania, where the aim is not to foster future co-operation but to minimise the power of competitors, leaving little room for constructive dialogue in the future.
The delegation noted that, for the first time, Albania will use out-of-country voting. While this is a positive step towards more inclusive elections, concerns were expressed that it could benefit the larger, traditional parties and potentially influence the outcome of the elections.
The delegation is concerned about allegations of blurred lines between political parties and the State. Information was received about pressure being exerted by the ruling party, sometimes directly and sometimes more subtly, on civil servants dependent on state jobs. This further distorts the playing field. The delegation also heard that vote-buying - already present in previous elections - remains endemic in rural, less developed areas (including through indirect methods such as cash incentives, 0 per cent interest loans, etc.). The delegation calls on all political actors to refrain from such practices. All allegations should be properly investigated.
The delegation notes that party leaders have strong control over party lists, which limits internal democracy.
The lack of real political debate shows that elections are more about personalities than clear policy platforms. Young people lack interest in elections as they feel unrepresented and see little difference between the platforms of existing political parties.
The delegation was informed about the concentration of media ownership in the hands of private groups close to political parties. There is no regulation of online platforms, creating opportunities for manipulation. The recent temporary ban on TikTok highlights concerns about the instrumentalisation of social media and the flow of information in the run-up to elections.
The delegation welcomed the fact that several interlocutors mentioned that the current legislation providing for a mandatory gender quota ensures adequate representation of women on electoral lists.
Interlocutors expressed confidence in the ability of the Central Electoral Commission to work transparently and in co-operation with civil society.
The PACE delegation was saddened to learn that there will be no large-scale observation by civil society observers at polling stations on election day, as this is likely to reduce the transparency of the electoral process, while some interlocutors expressed fears of voter pressure and intimidation on election day.
The delegation recognises that some of these issues may be difficult to address before election day but urges the authorities and all election stakeholders to address those that can still be resolved.
In Tirana, the delegation met with the Speaker of Parliament, leaders and representatives of the main parliamentary groups and the main extra-parliamentary political parties, as well as members of the Albanian delegation to PACE. It also met with the Head and Deputy Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, the State Election Commissioner and members of the Central Election Commission, representatives of the diplomatic community, civil society and the media, representatives of the Albanian Media Agency, the Media and Information Agency and the National Bureau of Investigation Specialised Structure for Combating Corruption and Organised Crime.
PACE - which represents parliamentarians from 46 European nations - is observing the elections in Albania as part of its post-monitoring dialogue with the country. A full Assembly delegation of 22 members, accompanied by legal experts from the Venice Commission, will travel to the country to observe the vote on 11 May as part of an international election observation mission, together with the ODIHR and delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament. PACE will discuss its conclusions in due course.
* Composition of the delegation: Simone Billi (Italy, ECPA), Head of Delegation, Luz Martinez Seijo (Spain, SOC), Valentina Grippo (Italy, ALDE), Andrej Hunko (Germany, UEL).