In the weak attempts at political discussions after the electoral trauma of the elections, there are several things, among the silence of many, coming to light that predict a great political disaster. A considerable part of supporters representing the Democratic Party (PD) are expressing their disappointment and distrust in the new “renovated” leadership of PD, while another part of the party’s militants express their anger toward the other political side, the Movement for Socialist Integration (LSI), condemning this party for bringing misfortunes to the election and accusing it for not acting as the true opposition. Added to this are some declarations from medium-level players in the Democratic Party that argue that PD has the legitimate “right” to leadership of opposition.
On the other hand, using similar arguments, many LSI characters accuse Basha and PD as the cause of the destructive situation during the elections and in parliament. Thanks to these people, PS won the absolute majority in Assembly, and it mined the political system with a secretive agreement, benefiting from it personally.
The doubt shared by both opposition parties, a doubt shared by many voters from both parties, is that instead of waging opposition, the other party serves as crutches to the party in power.
There are plenty of arguments supporting this thesis: the not fully disclosed agreement between Rama and Basha; the standpoint of LSI ministers and technical PD ministers until their last day in office; the lack of real opposing arguments from both parties and the fundamental inability to oppose; previous co-governance of both parties with PS; current shunned allusions to post-election deals; giving Ilir Meta the function of President; or the National Onbudsman chosen from the ranks of the PD; and finally the usual craving to devour a piece of power or possible funding.
At the same time, the other presumed political leaders of the opposition, the ones that couldn’t make it into the government or Parliament, seem to have disappeared, taking vacations abroad, immersed in their stubborn silence ever since the election results came out. There hasn’t been any news or political declaration by either Ben Blushi or Gjergj Bojaxhi, no videos either, and a disappointing silence from the allies of PD like the Republic Party or the PAA.
The opposition finds itself in an unfavorable and diminished position, numbers and arguments have declined, Sultan Rama is having a blast organizing events to display the new face of the government, telling intentionally and loudly that all the power belongs to him personally, and that he can crush or throw out any minister at any time, without retribution.
If the opposition parties will continue this way, Sultan Edi Rama will last until he no longer has the biological force to do so. While the country cannot certainly survive that long.
If the person who can speak about real politics in this country exists, he must start proposing deep institutional and constitutional changes to return a minimum of democratic functioning to Albania, reintroducing in the Constitution the “control and balance of powers,” eliminating the barriers for participation and political initiatives of the current election system, clearly defining, and not sidestepping, the duties regarding transparency and accountability of the public administration and politics.
Only this person, who will sit down at the table with other political leaders to discuss this reform, can save the country from the abyss of the Sultan and become the true leader of the opposition.
Only by abiding by these reforms, the participants at that table can make the difference by proposing various economic, political, and social interventions. Only then they may suggest whether the school books will be free or not.
The common denominator is to build a frontline against the Sultan that will appeal to the voters for being true, and someone who proposes institutional reforms to build a significant state with Western democratic features. Any other approach, including the ones embraced by the PD, supporting a bipolar political system, will be proof for lack of political willpower to change the status quo and that participation in the political race is only for personal enrichment and not for the benefit of public.
