Editor’s note
Within the deadlines for registering coalitions, the Democratic Party (DP) has submitted to the Central Election Commission (CEC) the letter for the registration of the opposition coalition in the April 25 parliamentary elections, which will also be. return of the opposition parties to Parliament after a lengthy boycott which after all didn’t produce what was expected. The Socialist Party having the support of the main foreign powers involved in Albanian political life carried out its objectives laying the ground for the upcoming elections.
DP’S letter on election participation was submitted to the CEC on Wednesday, as usual late at night, after intensive meetings that the leader of the Democrats, Lulzim Basha held at the headquarters with the allies, finalizing the agreements for the large opposition coalition, consisting of 13 parties, named “Alliance for Change” with the symbol “PD-AN”.
Basha is apparently pleased with the agreement reached with 13 other parties to run together in the April 25 parliamentary elections.
Through a post on Facebook on Thursday, Basha expressed his conviction that the coalition “Alliance for Change” wins on April 25.
“The time has come to change. The Alliance for Change. Albania Wins”, writes Basha.
The parties that will participate in the opposition coalition are: Democratic Party, Republican Party, Agrarian Environmentalist Party, Party for Justice, Integration and Unity, Movement for National Development, Christian Democratic Party, New Democratic Spirit Party, National Front Party, Union Party for Human Rights,
Liberal Democratic Union Party, Democratic Union Party, Liberal Right Thought Party, Legality Movement Party and Christian Democratic Party.
Democratic Party Deputy Chairman Edi Paloka, speaking about the opposition coalition on a local TV on Wednesday evening said that DP’s goal is to maximize the opposition vote.
The Socialist Movement for Integration (SMI) has already chosen to run alone on April 25. However it is expected that in some districts of the country, where it sees it as difficult to secure even one MP mandate, it can enter with joint lists with the Democratic Party -led front.
The deputy chairman of the SMI, Petrit Vasili said that the political force he represents has secured mandates in all regions of the country, except the municipality of Kukes, northeastern Albania, where the SMI and DP will join the lists to maximize votes.
In the meantime the ruling Socialist Party (SP) has decided to run alone. An analysis of the confidence of PM Edi Rama to win a third mandate shows that he relies it on continuation of power having as strong card that Socialist electorate is very loyal to SP in Albania. Rama is aware of that and relies on it. Also that electorate is not massively sympathetic towards change of power to fall in the hands of a political force which is believed is still controlled by its veteran leader Sali Berisha.
Nevertheless the pandemic and its severe impact which is aggravating the general situation might have a negative influence on the current majority but there are still suspicions what the opposition can do better if it comes to power without consolidating the power.
April 25 will be a test of if Albanians decide to back continuation or try new ‘horses’ some of which are old figures… /argumentum.al
