Presidential election in Albania 2017

Ilir Meta was elected President of Albania in 2017

The presidential election in Albania took place in April 2017 , ahead of the parliamentary election in June. Ilir Meta was elected President of the Republic of Albania on April 28, 2017 .

Voting system

The election of the President of Albania is an indirect choice . It is held in secret ballot by the members of the Albanian Parliament and can constitutionally have up to five rounds. By the third attempt, a candidate must receive three fifths of the vote in order to be elected. If none of the candidates achieve an absolute majority in the fifth round either , parliament is dissolved and new elections take place within 60 days. The elected head of state serves for a five-year term.

Starting position

In June 2012 the parliament of Albania elected Bujar Nishani , the candidate of the Democratic Party (PD) , as president of the country after four attempts . After the parliamentary elections in 2013 there was a change of government and the Socialist Party (PS) gained a majority. A re-election of Nishani was therefore unlikely. In February 2017, the opposition Democratic Party entered a protest linked to a boycott of parliamentary sessions.

Candidates

In April 2017, neither of the two dominant parties in Albania had put up an official candidate. Nevertheless, there was much speculation about the future head of state in the run-up to the election.

In September 2016, Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati assessed the President of Parliament Ilir Meta from the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) as a promising candidate. Defense Minister Mimi Kodheli and Valentina Leskaj were also considered possible candidates; if elected, this would have led to Albania's first female president.

Election process

On April 19, 2017, the Albanian parliament held the first of five possible ballots. However, since no candidate had officially been nominated for election at this point in time, this attempt failed. The Socialist Party and its coalition partners, who together hold the majority in parliament, wanted to give the opposition time to take part in a dialogue. Prime Minister Edi Rama said after the first election round:

“The socialists have a majority to elect the President of the Republic, but we are trying to give the opposition a chance to find a representative and all-encompassing figure. [...] Better a president a few days later than a president elected in a room deserted by the opposition. "

- Edi Rama

The second ballot on the following day also failed without a candidate.

After the third attempt on April 27, 2017, which the opposition continued to boycott, the PS announced that it would not wait much longer with the presidential election. Despite mediation efforts by the government partner LSI, the PD refuses to take part in any dialogue.

On April 28, 2017, Ilir Meta was elected President with 87 votes from 89 MPs present. The absolute majority was 71 votes. The opposition had boycotted this parliamentary session as well.

Web links

• Walter Glos (Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, April 13, 2017): "The Protest" - Legitimate means for more democracy in Albania?

Individual evidence

1. ^ Constitution of the Republic of Albania . Articles 86 to 94 ( president.al [PDF; accessed on May 6, 2012]). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
2. ↑ ^{a b} Shqipëri: Dështimi i tretë për zgjedhjen e presidentit. In: evropaelire.org. April 27, 2017, Retrieved April 28, 2017 (Albanian). 
3. ↑ ditmir bushati për Ilir Meten: eshte candidate i fortë për President. (No longer available online.) In: lapsi.al. September 16, 2016, archived from the original on September 29, 2016 ; Retrieved April 28, 2017 (Albanian). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
4. ↑ President's election, Cuci: Majority will not accept DP candidacy. In: albaniannews.com. February 14, 2017, accessed April 28, 2017 . 
5. ^ Armand Mero: Presidenti i ri, dështon votimi i parë. In: zeriamerikes.com. Voice of America , April 19, 2017, accessed April 28, 2017 (Albanian). 
6. ↑ Dështon edhe raundi i Dyte për zgjedhjen e Presidentit tė Shqipërisë. In: shenja.tv. April 20, 2017, Retrieved April 28, 2014 (Albanian). 
7. ^ Ilir Meta President i Republikës. In: Top Channel . April 28, 2017, accessed April 28, 2017 .