Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama appears poised to secure a fourth consecutive term in office following a strong showing in Sunday’s general elections. With 96% of ballots counted, Rama’s ruling Socialist Party has won 52.09% of the vote, translating to 82 seats in the 140-member Parliament, according to preliminary results released by the Central Election Commission.
The centre-right Democratic Party-led coalition, headed by former president Sali Berisha, trailed with 34.44% of the vote, securing 52 seats. The remaining six seats are expected to be distributed among smaller parties. If final results hold, the Socialists could once again govern without forming a coalition.
Rama’s victory, if confirmed, would mark an unprecedented fourth term for the 60-year-old leader, who has served as prime minister since 2013. He campaigned on a pro-European platform, pledging to fast-track reforms aimed at securing European Union membership within five years. Accession negotiations officially began last October.
This election was the first in which Albanian citizens living abroad were allowed to vote by mail. Of the nearly 246,000 registered overseas voters, more than 195,000 submitted ballots. Officials say the diaspora was overwhelmingly supportive of the Socialist Party and its EU-focused agenda. Albania’s ambassador to Greece, Luela Hajdaraga, noted strong engagement, particularly among expatriates facing citizenship hurdles within the EU.
“Albanians living abroad were very eager to participate in this historic process and have their voices heard,” she said.
Despite the ruling party's lead, the electoral process drew criticism from international observers. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) reported “misuse of public resources and institutional power” by the governing party, citing voter intimidation and pressure on public employees. The government has not commented on the findings.
The Democratic Party and its allies — a coalition of 21 parties — have challenged the integrity of the diaspora vote, particularly around 53,000 ballots cast from neighboring Greece, alleging manipulation. The Central Election Commission, which is legally required to publish official results within 48 hours of the vote, has not indicated whether the claims will delay certification.
Voter turnout was reported at 42.21%, about four percentage points lower than the previous election. Albania has roughly 3.7 million registered voters, despite a resident population of only 2.4 million due to mass emigration in recent decades.
Rama, a former mayor of Tirana known for his urban revitalization initiatives, has made EU accession the central theme of his administration. Public support for EU membership remains strong, with a Eurobarometer survey in November showing 83% of Albanians in favor — the highest rate in the Western Balkans.
Albania has so far opened 16 of the 35 negotiating chapters required for EU accession. However, concerns over corruption, organized crime, and continued emigration pose significant hurdles to full integration.
As Rama looks toward a fourth term, the challenge will be converting popular support and European goodwill into tangible progress on reforms and keeping Albania on course toward membership in the European Union.