The ruling Socialist Party (PS) has announced five of its six candidates for the mayoral by-elections of March 6.
Six municipalities are up for grabs in the upcoming elections, including the central hubs of Shkodër and Durrës.
Majlinda Angoni will be the PS’s candidate in Shkodër where she currently serves as the county’s prefect. The northern city of Shkodër has been a bastion of the Democratic Party (PD) since the fall of the Communist regime.
The PS won the seat in 2019 only after the PD decided to boycott local elections. The PS may still stand a chance in Shkodër in March given that the PD’s internal strife may split the vote between two Democratic candidates.
In Durrës, the PS is putting forward Ermirjana Sako who has been the city’s interim mayor since Valbona Sako resigned following her insensitive comments about the 2019 earthquake that killed 51 people.
In Dibër, Vorë, and Rrogozhinë, the PS’s candidates will be Rahim Spahiu, Blerim Sheraj, and Edison Memolla respectively.
The municipal seat of Lushnja is also up for grabs, after its mayor Fatos Tushe was arrested for corruption in July 2021. The PS has yet to decide on a candidate for the city as consultations continue.
All mayors elected in March will serve for only one year, as the next local elections are scheduled for summer 2023.
