This report is part of the larger anthology “Insights into Albania: Internal Struggles and Geopolitical Challenges in the Western Balkans”
Read the report here
Read the full anthology here
As Albania’s May 11 elections approach, the country has made significant strides toward justice reform, and the economy has benefited from an unprecedented tourism and construction boom. However, inequality has increased, corruption remains pervasive, and the trend of youth emigration continues unabated.
Never in the post-communist era has a political party governed Albania for three consecutive terms. Prime Minister Edi Rama, now in his 12th year in office, can tout several historic successes, including opening negotiations on the first chapters with the European Union on Oct. 15, 2024. On the other hand, his government also faces corruption scandals, unresolved social and economic problems, and failures in democracy. Nonetheless, barring any significant development, his Socialist Party of Albania (SPA) remains the favorite in the upcoming elections.
Indications that a change in government may still not be on the horizon for Albania can be found by analyzing the country’s political history, the main political players, and the key issues likely to influence voter behavior.
Ruben Avxhiu is the editor in chief of Illyria, a New York-based, nationwide Albanian-American
newspaper founded in 1991. He founded the first youth newspaper in post-Communist Albania and
went on to become a writer and editor for a number of Albanian newspapers and magazines, including
Republika, Albania, Koha, and others, before moving to New York to join Illyria in 1999. His other
professional experiences include working at the Center for War, Peace, and the News Media and at New
York University. He studied international media and communications at the School of International and
Public Affairs at Columbia University.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not an official policy or position of New Lines Institute.
