Less Drama From Albania’s Socialist Leader

There is a time for contestation and a time for reconciliation. After local elections on May 8, Albania is at a fork in the road.

Instead of trying to overturn Edi Rama’s razor-thin defeat in the race for mayor of Tirana, the Socialist Party should assume its role as loyal opposition and cooperate on a consensus plan advancing Albania’s candidacy to join the European Union.

No more drama. It’s time for governance.

Both parties had big stakes in Tirana’s mayoral election. As mayor of Tirana, a stronghold of the Socialist Party, Rama doled out lucrative construction contracts to cronies who provided kickbacks and political support.

Lulzim Basha, the Democratic Party candidate, ran a strong campaign, harnessing the power of social media. The winning party is well placed for national elections in 2013.

The government of Albania worked with experts from the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission to draft the election law, which was endorsed by the Socialist Party. Both international and local election observers were present at polling stations with agreed procedures to verify the validity of each ballot.

In voting for a slate of different local government positions, voters were instructed to deposit their ballots for different offices in designated boxes. Some voters, especially young first-time voters, mistakenly deposited their ballots in the wrong boxes.

Even Albania’s president was caught on film misplacing his ballot.

Albania’s electoral law had an unforeseen flaw. There was no provision for ballots that were deposited in the wrong box.

Without prejudice to the outcome, the Central Elections Commission determined that failure to count votes put in the wrong box would disenfranchise voters and undermine the will of the people. It ordered a recount in some districts.

Though Rama led by 10 votes after the initial tally, a partial recount put Basha ahead by 78 votes. The Socialists launched a legal appeal to overturn the decision to count some misplaced ballots.

The court ruled in favour of the Socialist Party, determining that fairness would be best served by counting all misplaced ballots, not only those in specific districts. Contested ballots in 368 boxes were added to the final tally and Basha was finally declared the winner by 93 votes on June 25.

Despite Basha’s victory, the overall results show that Albania remains deeply divided. In addition to a virtual draw in Tirana, the Democratic Party won the popular vote nationwide while the Socialists won most municipalities. Rama has a history of obstructionism and of placing his personal interest over the national interest.

After parliamentary elections in 2009, the Socialists were outmaneuvered by the Democratic Party that formed a coalition to lead the government. Socialist deputies refused to take their seats in parliament.

Rama’s strategy was to create gridlock, delegitimize the government and demand early elections.

The strategy failed. Having become a NATO member in 2008, Albanians wanted additional reforms so as to gain visa liberalization from the EU. In a historic decision, the EU decided to grant Albanian passport holders visa-free travel in October 2010.

At a time when Europe is deeply concerned about immigration, the decision was a measure of Albania’s progress since the desperate exodus of many Albanians to Italy following the 1997 financial collapse.

Becoming a candidate for EU membership is Albania’s next milestone. The EU Council of Ministers recently enhanced Albania’s European perspective by identifying 12 areas requiring reforms in order to become a candidate country.

The European integration agenda is a long road. Membership requires compliance with 60,000 pages of rules and regulations. By spelling out a reform agenda, the EU has offered Albania a significant opportunity incentivizing reforms aimed at harmonizing legislation with the EU’s acquis communautaire.

Rama and the Socialists need to stop complaining and focus on working inclusively to realize the country’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Albania’s reputation has suffered enough.

Rising above the fray, Prime Minister Sali Berisha should issue an appeal for national reconciliation and calling for a dialogue on the development of a consensus action plan advancing Albania’s EU candidacy. Albanians must focus on the greater good setting national interests ahead of personal gain.

Rama and the Socialists will be tempted to act as spoilers. Rama has threatened street protests to overturn the election result in Tirana. This is a risky and dangerous course, both for the Socialist Party – and for Albania.

On January 21, 2011, Rama’s supporters rallied to protest corruption allegations against a coalition member of the government. Four protesters were killed when the crowd stormed the prime minister’s office. Albanians are tired of confrontation.

This time around, Rama’s appeal could fall on deaf ears. If nobody showed up to protest, it would rub salt into the wounds of his electoral defeat.

There is also a growing malaise among young members of the Socialist Party who are dissatisfied with Rama’s leadership. Provoking a confrontation is a tactic that could backfire against Rama, sparking an internal revolt within the Socialist Party and his removal from the chairmanship.

European countries are tired of Albania’s polarized politics. At this critical crossroads, Albanians need to overcome internal divisions and focus on their shared vision of a European future.

David L. Phillips is Director of the Program on Peace-Building and Rights at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights and a Fellow of the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard University.