2017 Albanian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Albania on 25 June.[1] They had initially been scheduled for 18 June, but after a possible boycott was announced by opposition parties during a political crisis that lasted three months, an agreement was reached between all parties on 18 May to change the date.[2] The Socialist Party won 74 of the 140 seats.[3]

2017 Albanian parliamentary election

25 June 2017
All 140 seats in the Parliament of Albania 71 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	46.80%
Party Leader % Seats ± Socialist Edi Rama 48.34 74 +9 Democratic Lulzim Basha 28.85 43 -7 LSI Petrit Vasili 14.28 19 +3 PDIU Shpëtim Idrizi 4.81 3 -1 Social Democratic Skënder Gjinushi 0.95 1 +1 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Prime Minister before Prime Minister after Edi Rama Socialist Edi Rama Socialist

Background

The previous parliamentary elections were held on 23 June 2013 and resulted in a victory for the Socialist Party of Albania-led Alliance for a European Albania, which received 57.6% of the vote, winning 83 of the 140 seats. The opposition Alliance for Employment, Prosperity and Integration headed by Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party received almost 39.5% of the vote and won the other 57 seats. The Socialist Party led by Edi Rama formed the government with Rama as Prime Minister.

Electoral system

The 140 members of Parliament were elected in twelve multi-member constituencies based on the twelve counties using closed list proportional representation with an electoral threshold of 3% for parties and 5% for alliances.[4] Seats were allocated to alliances using the D'Hondt method, then to political parties using the Sainte-Laguë method.[5]

Demographic changes led to some changes in the number of seats for some constituencies; Tirana gained two seats and Durrës one, whilst Korça, Berat and Kukës all lost a seat.[6]

#	County	2016 population	Seats
1	Berat	139,815	7
2	Dibër	134,153	6
3	Durrës	278,775	14
4	Elbasan	298,913	14
5	Fier	312,448	16
6	Gjirokastër	70,331	5
7	Korçë	221,706	11
8	Kukës	84,035	3
9	Lezhë	135,613	7
10	Shkodër	215,483	11
11	Tirana	811,649	34
12	Vlorë	183,105	12
Source: Instat (populations)

Contesting parties

Main article: List of political parties in Albania

Name		Abbr.	Ideology	Leader
	Albanian Democratic Christian Union	PBDKSH		Eduart Ndocaj
	Christian Democratic Alliance	ADK		Zef Bushati
	Christian Democratic Party of Albania	PKD	Christian democracy	Dhimiter Muslia
	Communist Party	PKSH	Marxism–Leninism, Anti-revisionism	Qemal Cicollari
	Democratic Alliance	AD	Liberalism, centrism	Eduart Abazi
	Democratic Party of Albania	PD	Centre-right, Liberal conservatism, Conservatism, Nationalism, Pro-Europeanism, Economic liberalism	Lulzim Basha
	Libra Party	LIBRA	Centrism, Social liberalism, Civic nationalism, Pro-Europeanism	Ben Blushi
	National Arbnore Alliance	AAK		Gjet Ndoj
	New Democratic Spirit	FRD	Liberal conservatism, pro-Europeanism	Bamir Topi
	Party for Justice, Integration and Unity	PDIU	Right-wing, Nationalism, Ethnic nationalism, Cham issue	Shpëtim Idrizi
	Party for the Future of the Greek Minority	MEGA		Kristaq Kiço
	People's Alliance for Justice	APD		Bilal Kola
	Republican Party of Albania	PR	Right-wing, National Conservatism, Pro-Europeanism	Fatmir Mediu
	Challenge for Albania	SFIDA!	Centrism, Pro-Europeanism	Hektor Ruci
	Social Democracy Party	PDS	Social democracy	Paskal Milo
	Socialist Movement for Integration	LSI	Centre-left, Social democracy, Progressivism	Ilir Meta
	Socialist Party of Albania	PS	Centre-left, Social democracy, Third Way, Progressivism, Social liberalism	Edi Rama

Opinion polls

Nationwide

Pollster	Date	Sample	PD	PS	LSI	PDIU	Libra	SFIDA!	Other parties	Lead
Exit poll	25 June 2017		30-34%	45-49%	11-15%	3-5%	-	-		15%
IPR + Ora News	19 June 2017		33%	48%	13%	1.8%	2.3%	0.5%		15%
IPR + Ora News	7 June 2017	800	37%	45%	13%	1.5%	2%	0.3%	–	8%
Piepoli	6 June 2017	800	28-32% 41-45 seats	48-52% 69-73 seats	9-13% 14-18 seats	1-2% 2-4 seats	1-3% 1-3 seats	1-3% 1-3 seats	–	20%
IPR + Ora News	29–30 May 2017	2,002	36%	43%	12%	1.8%	2.3%	1.0%	3.9%	7%

By county

Tirana

Pollster	Date	Sample	PD	PS	LSI	PDIU	Libra	SFIDA!	Other parties	Lead
IPR + Ora News	29–30 May 2017	1,000	33%	41%	14%	1%	6%	1.5%	3.5%	8%

Elbasan

Pollster	Date	Sample	PD	PS	LSI	PDIU	Libra	SFIDA!	Other parties	Undecided	Lead
American Eye	4 June 2017	1,034	29.2%	46.1%	6.4%	7.1%	0.7%	-	3.4%	7.1%	16.9%

Results

Parliamentary seats
PS			74/140
PD			43/140
LSI			19/140
PDIU			3/140
PSD			1/140

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Socialist Party of Albania	764,750	48.34	74	+9
	Democratic Party of Albania	456,413	28.85	43	–7
	Socialist Movement for Integration	225,901	14.28	19	+3
	Party for Justice, Integration and Unity	76,069	4.81	3	–1
	Libra Party	19,806	1.25	0	New
	Social Democratic Party of Albania	14,993	0.95	1	+1
	New Democratic Spirit	5,146	0.33	0	0
	Sfida për Shqipërinë	3,546	0.22	0	New
	Republican Party of Albania	3,225	0.20	0	-3
	Social Democracy Party of Albania	2,473	0.16	0	0
	Christian Democratic Party of Albania	2,421	0.15	0	–1
	Party for the Future of the Greek Minority	2,287	0.14	0	0
	People's Alliance for Justice	1,505	0.10	0	New
	Communist Party of Albania	1,026	0.06	0	0
	Albanian Democratic Christian Union	924	0.06	0	New
	Christian Democratic Alliance	767	0.05	0	0
	Democratic Alliance Party	547	0.03	0	0
	National Arbnore Alliance	351	0.02	0	0
Invalid/blank votes		31,898	–	–	–
Total		1,613,810	100	140	0
Registered voters/turnout		3,452,324	46.75	–	–
Source: CEC

References

1. "Presidenti Nishani e dekreton: 25 qershori data e zgjedhjeve parlamentare". gsh.al (in Albanian). 21 May 2017.
2. Agreement unveiled, Parliamentary Elections on June 25Albania Daily News Archived 2 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine
3. Albanian Socialists to get parliamentary majority, partial vote count shows Reuters, 26 June 2017
4. Election Profile IFES
5. Electoral system IPU
6. Harta e re elektorale, një mandat më pak Kukësit, Korçës e Beratit Shqiptarja, 3 December 2016