Albanian Election Turn-out 'up 15%' on Last Ballot

Albanians vote in parliamentary elections

Albania’s Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, said turn-out in today's parliamentary election was 15 per cent higher than the last general election in 2005.

The Central Electoral Commission, CEC, is reporting a high turn-out of voters throughout the country, as Albanians cast their ballot in an election seen as key to the country’s ties to the European Union.

"The turn-out of voters in this poll is at least 15 per cent larger than in the last elections," said Prime Minister Sali Berisha, at a press conference as polls closed.

CEC head Arben Ristani said that data from polling stations indicated that more voters had cast their ballots than in the last parliamentary elections in 2005, when turn-out fell to 49.2 per cent.

Polls closed at 7pm, however some stations will remain open until the voters standing in line at closing time are able to cast their ballot. The voting process has been generally peaceful, with a few minor incidents reported.  

In Albania’s last local elections, in February 2007, less than 50 per cent of the electorate voted, following a trend of declining turn-outs in the past decade.  

In an interview with Balkan Insight, political analyst Bledi Kajsiu pointed out that a lot of people listed on the electoral rolls have long since emigrated.

Kajsiu also cautions against assuming that declining turnouts are a specifically Albanian phenomenon.

“There is a decline in voter participation in elections but it’s a global phenomenon, which is also present in consolidated democracies,” said Kajsiu.  

According to data of the Central Electoral Commission, voter participation in the 2001 general election was 58.4 per cent.

In the 2003's local election this figure fell to 52 per cent. Another marked drop in turnout was registered in the 2005 parliamentary elections, when only 49.2 per cent of electors voted.

The 2007 local election recorded an even lower turn-out, when only 46.4 per cent of those eligible to vote showed up at the polls.

The country has recently acceded to NATO and filed for EU candidate status, and today's ballot is seen as a crucial test of the country’s democratic credentials.