The majority changes unilaterally the Electoral Code
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Less than a year prior to general elections the Parliament of Albania makes significant changes to the electoral rules: no pre-election coalitions and smaller entry threshold
Just months prior to the general elections, the Albanian parliament took a decisive vote on Monday to apply significant changes to the Electoral Code, despite the fact that no political consensus was reached on them. The 140-seat parliament voted with 97 votes in favour while 15 were against and 5 abstained. This is the first time in three decades that such unilateral changes are made upon request of the chief of the executive.
They also elected new officials of the top election commission, notably returning former CEC Chair Ilijran Celibashi as Chief State Commissioner for elections.
The new laws partially open the candidates’ lists, lowered to 1 percent the threshold of political parties entering the parliament, asked that political coalitions to be presented as one subject and also partially depoliticized the election commissions. The intensive debate about the opening of the candidate list thus comes to an end with citizens being able only to indicate weakly their preference since still the secure places on top of the list will be determined by the party chairman and real competition for the constituents’ vote is reserved only for a few names on the bottom. The new laws decide that it is again the party leader setting the names of the candidates. The leader sets the first five names following consultation with the membership. The leader also may run in four different districts. Also a candidate that is liked by the people or party members should earn more than the average number of votes in his area so that he may be included with the winners.
The Socialist majority was joined by most of the replacement MPs that have filled the seats since the opposition walked out of the parliament last year. The only vocal opposition voice to these changes was Rudina Hajdari, who sought open lists throughout and tried to filibuster the speakers’ podium in the Assembly as a gesture of protest.
The DP reacted that this vote was in violation to the agreement reached on June 5, with international mediation and celebrated as the fulfilment of the important integration conditions. The main objection point for DP and SMI is the abolishment of pre-electoral coalitions.
Experts and observers of political developments of Albania highlight that the changes are unilateral but they differ on whether this move will aggravate the political crisis. Some of them point out that the changes were chewable by the DP, whose reaction was limited to just one declaration
The new Election Code will be applied next year for the April 25 parliamentary elections.
Post-communist Albania’s elections, have always been contested and marred by irregularities, including vote-buying and the manipulation of ballot counts.
In a post in its Facebook page after the vote the United States Embassy in Tirana mentioned its pressure on Albania’s leaders for “a transparent and inclusive manner on issues of national importance.” The embassy reminded that “the June 5 agreement should be honored and that any additional measures should be considered and adopted in similar transparent and inclusive manner using the Political Council.”
It added that “the ruling party terminated discussions at the Political Council and voted to adopt significant changes to the rules that will govern the April 25 elections.”
“It is regrettable that the majority failed to honor its own stated commitment to seek common ground in the Political Council. Albania is a member of NATO, an aspirant for membership in the European Union, and Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE. It is incumbent upon Albania’s leaders – beginning with but not limited to those in power – to hold themselves to a higher standard and to ensure the freedom and fairness of the upcoming elections.”
In their reaction, the EU Delegation in Albania pointed out that the changes did not relate to the recommendations made by OSCE and ODHIR. They also echoed the same sentiment saying that “We regret that no compromise could be reached in the Political Council before the amendments were voted on in the Parliament”. Both the US and the EU representatives in Albania were key stakeholders in being able to reach an agreement in the Political Council between all legitimate sides on June 5.
