Latest News
Eight Indicted for Fraud in Albanian Elections
Prosecutors in Lezha on Tuesday indicted eight poll commissioners for rigging the elections in the commune of Dajc on May 8, 2011.
Laws Alone Can't Improve Albania Polls, Report Says
A joint opinion from the Venice Commission and the OSCE on elections in Albania has concluded that legal reform alone will not ensure that polls meet international standards.
Albania Opposition End Boycott of Parliament
The Socialist parliamentary group is expected to abandon its three-month boycott of parliament, protesting against alleged irregularities in the May 8 local elections.
Lulzim Basha Sworn In as Tirana Mayor
Albania’s democratic party candidate Lulzim Basha has officially started work as the city’s new mayor, following a controversial electoral race.
EU Gives Albania Election Thumbs Down
Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule on Tuesday in Brussels pronounced Albania’s May 8 local elections for Tirana "not good".
Basha Confirmed Victor in Tirana Mayor Race
After two months of legal wrangling, Albania’s Electoral College has rejected the last opposition appeal challenging the razor-thin victory of the ruling party candidate in the disputed Tirana race.
Albania Court Postpones Election Ruling
Albania’s Electoral College delayed until Thursday a ruling in the disputed mayoral race of Tirana, after the Socialist opposition withdrew one of its two appeals challenging the narrow victory of ruling party candidate Lulzim Basha.
Albania Opposition Seeks Poll Repeat in Key Tirana Race
The Socialist opposition has filed what is considered its final appeal with the Electoral College on Thursday, seeking a repeat of the election for the Tirana mayor’s office.
Tense Climate Blamed For Albania Poll Rows
A former head of the Central Electoral Commission says both main parties need to share blame for the endless legal wrangling that has followed the results of the May local elections.
Basha Declared Winner of Contested Tirana Poll
Albania’s Central Electoral Commission has for the second time in as many months declared the ruling party candidate the winner of the hotly contested race for the Tirana mayoralty.
Albania Leaders Spar Over Tirana Poll Ruling
Parties exchanged jibes on Tuesday as the final result of the disputed race for the Tirana mayoralty remained in limbo.
Albania Court Orders Recount of Contested Ballots
The Electoral College late Monday night ordered a full recount of the contested ballots in the key race for mayor of Tirana, throwing the results of the poll back into doubt.
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Albania Court to Hear Final Appeal on Disputed Poll
Albania’s Electoral College on June 13 will hear the final opposition Socialist appeal over the disputed results of the race for mayor of Tirana.
Albania Court Rejects Appeal over Disputed Poll
Albania’s Electoral College rejected late on Friday a second opposition appeal over the contested poll for mayor of Tirana, leading the ruling party candidate ever closer to the city's top office.
Albania Court to Rule on Election Dispute
Albania’s Electoral College will rule on Friday on an opposition appeal that will decide the outcome of the contested poll for mayor of Tirana.
Election Profile
Albania 2011 Local Elections: Key Facts
On May 8, Albanians will vote for mayors and town councils in 384 municipalities. The legal framework for the elections is based on the constitution and the electoral code, which the ruling centre-right Democratic Party and the opposition Socialists voted through in 2008.
Albania: A Fraught Electoral History
With the election date fast approaching, doubts remain whether the poll will meet international standards and represent a step forward in Albania’s long and tumultuous transition to democracy.
Interactive Map: Election Race
Interactive Map: Key Races in Albania’s 2011 Local Elections
On May 8, 3,186,569 Albanians 18-year or older will have the chance to cast their ballot in the local elections, choosing the new mayors and head of communes in 384 municipalities.
Key Figures
Sali Berisha: Albania’s Great Survivor
After two decades in politics, divided between the president’s and premier’s offices, Berisha is already Albania’s longest serving leader since the collapse of the Communist regime.
Edi Rama: Mayor Who Would Be Premier
Now seeking a fourth term as Tirana’s mayor, the Socialist leader is hoping that a strong showing in the May local elections will hasten the political demise of his archrival, Sali Berisha.
Lulzim Basha, Tirana’s Would-Be Mayor
The controversial ex-minister, who has strong ties to the Berisha family, is bidding to take over the capital - but even if his gambit fails, it’s unlikely to ruin his political career.
Key Political Parties
Key Political Parties in Albania
After the January 21 riots and a prolonged power struggle that has hampered its EU aspirations and strained the country’s fragile institutions, Albania’s political parties head to the May 8 local elections, considered as key to the country’s democratic credentials.
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