A weary electorate votes in parliamentary elections after campaign dominated by EU hopes and political corruption.Albanians are casting ballots in the general election, with Prime Minister Edi Rama seeking an unprecedented fourth term after a campaign dominated by promises of European Union membership and corruption allegations.
Polling stations opened at 7am local time (05:00 GMT) on Sunday and would close at 7pm (17:00 GMT), with results expected on Monday.
Nearly 3.7 million Albanians, including hundreds of thousands living abroad, are eligible to vote. For the first time, members of the diaspora can cast their ballots by mail.
Rama, leader of the governing Socialist Party since 2013, has positioned himself as the architect of Albania’s EU future. He has pledged that the country will join the bloc by 2030, repeating the promise at his final rally: “We will get our fourth mandate, and we will not lose a single day for Albania 2030 in the EU.”
Rama’s main rival, 80-year-old Sali Berisha, a former president and prime minister, leads the conservative Democratic Party.
Despite being banned from entering the United States and the United Kingdom over alleged corruption, which he denies, Berisha has retained a loyal following and adopted slogans including “Make Albania Great Again”. Advertisement
Rama has faced allegations of state capture, with opposition voices warning that the political playing field is far from even.
Critics say Rama’s dominance over public institutions has undermined democratic checks.
Rama’s administration has not escaped scruti …
