Will Edi Rama invite Basha and the Democratic Party into a broad coalition? The controversial coalition that was much talked about before elections, aiming at stabilizing several reforms crucial for the country’s integration? Germany and some other developed countries have used a similar coalition and have found stability. Maybe, yes. And certainly with clear goals in mind:
First, in order to consolidate the administration with a number of supportive votes in parliament, which give him the comfort of achieving any objective, he needs at least two-thirds.
Second, in order to significantly reduce LSI’s power, in a PD–PS coalition, the number of opponents in parliament will shrink, as will the size of the opposition.
Third, and this is the main point, in order to deter PD’s force and ability to compete in becoming first power. In a formula similar to the one Hashim Thaçi applied with LDK in Kosovo, putting it third in the recent elections.
Although Rama’s invitation, addressing PD, could become public, a coalition with a larger base in Albania is not functional, even harmful. There are reasons for this, too.
First, the coalition is not real, but rather artificial. PS has the votes to lead the country on its own. Besides its votes, PS can count in votes of PDIU and PSD which during the campaign declared they will be on the winner’s side. These votes establish a steady majority for PS. PD cannot argue the country’s stability with its participation in the coalition, given that PS has all the necessary votes to lead steadily.
Second, a larger coalition gives the country a practically weaker opposition. It diminishes with LSI’s mandates that has its most important man as the President. So, it is a handicapped opposition. At this moment, PD’s parliamentary group quality is dubious. If there is something that the country needs now, it is the establishment of a real, robust, and reliable opposition. The reestablishment of the opposition is the most important mission of PD and LSI. Only a serious and real opposition can avoid the abuse that could result when great power is concentrated in one person, Edi Rama. This is the first time since 2001, that one political force wins alone 71 mandates, without the help of allies. Confronting this majority is the PD’s duty.
Third, Basha is forced to interpret the vote to his favor. The vote he received was not for a coalition with PS. On the contrary, the right-wing voters boycotted because he flirted with PS and the idea of an agreement after elections.
Also, we shouldn’t forget that the right and left in Albania, unlike Germany and Kosovo, have been divided and consolidated for primarily historical reasons. The difference between them was marked in August 1943, when the agreement of Mukje was broken and the vote for or against is in many cases a derivative of that division. Besides its conservative leaning, PD has a part which is liberal, but the conservative side appears to be clearly dominating. A coalition with PS would defeat and divide PD.
And finally, joining a coalition, not of numbers, but given as charity by tis competitor, will render PD a force that now and forever no longer compete to lead the country and apply its platform. This is harsh for a political force that has led the country for 13 out of 26 years
