Some 3.6 million Albanians who are eligible to vote will have the chance today, 25 April in the general elections.
A total of 5199 polling stations are open throughout the country between 7 am and 7 pm. After the polls close, votes will be counted in 92 vote counting centers.
The elections take place amid simmering tensions between the incumbent Socialist Party led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, and the Opposition, namely the Democratic Party, the Socialist Movement for Integration, and President Ilir Meta. The run-up to election day has been marred by more than 160 complaints of electoral crimes, a murder, a shooting, and several incidents of violence.
Rama is seeking a third term in office.
Today, voters will be able to choose not just the party they want to represent them, but also a candidate for parliament. Votes for individual candidates do not necessarily mean they will have a seat in parliament but they will serve to boost the chances of candidates in the respective parties.
This system was imposed unilaterally by the Socialist Party in October falling short of the open list system demanded by the electorate.
The vote will take place in 12 electoral constituencies. Depending on size, each constituency has a certain number of deputies that can be elected. Tirana is the largest with 910,000 registered voters and 36 deputies. The northern district of Kukes has just 83,000 voters and will have three parliamentary representatives.
Taking part in the election is a total of 12 parties. Each party has 153 candidates, making a total of 1841. This time, there are five independent candidates running for election as well. Even small parties must fulfill the criteria of having 153 candidates.
The parties running are; Socialist Party, The Democratic Party Alliance for Change (coalition), Socialist Movement for Integration, Nisma Thurje, New Movement Party, Movement for Change, Social Democrat Party, Albanian Democratic Movement, Democratic Conviction, Popular Union Alliance- Hour of Hope and Conservatives, National Front Party, and The New Alliance for Democracy.
Three candidates are running as an independent (in Lezhe, Gjirokaster, and Tirana) but are backed by Vetevendosje and another in the Dibra region running to support miners.
Each candidate is represented by a number that appears on the ballot sheet, rather than their name. Voters need to know the number for the candidate they want before they go into the booth. If a voter chooses a candidate without choosing a party as well, the vote is given to the candidate that the party belongs to.
Votes will start to be counted after the polls close but it’s unlikely a clear winner will be announced before Tuesday.
