Prime Minister of Albania

The prime minister of Albania (Albanian: Kryeministri i Shqipërisë), officially styled Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania (Albanian: Kryeministri i Republikës së Shqipërisë), is the head of government of the Republic of Albania and as well the most powerful and influential person in Albanian politics. The prime minister holds the executive power of the nation and represents the Council of Ministers and chairs its meetings.

Prime Minister of Albania Kryeministri i Shqipërisë
Emblem of the Prime Minister
Incumbent Edi Rama since 13 September 2013
Member of	Council of Ministers
Residence	Kryeministria
Appointer	President
Formation	29 November 1912
First holder	Ismail Qemali
Website	Official Page

The prime minister is appointed by the president of Albania after each general election and must have the confidence of the Parliament of Albania to stay in office. The Council is responsible for carrying out both foreign and domestic policies. It directs and controls the activities of the ministries and other state organs. The prime minister is elected on the basis of universal suffrage, through a secret ballot, for a four-year term. The Constitution of Albania sets no limit as to office terms of the prime minister.

The 33rd and current officeholder is Edi Rama of the Socialist Party who was elected on 23 June 2013 and started his first four-year-term on 15 September 2013.

Powers, duties and responsibilities

See also: Constitution, Politics, and Cabinet of Albania

The prime minister of the Albania, officially styled Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, is the most powerful and influential state officeholder in the Albanian system of government.

One important role of the president is to designate a candidate for the office of prime minister who, in the opinion of the president, is best able to command a majority of the members of the Parliament.[1] As head of government, the prime minister is charged with directing the internal policy of the country and leads the public administration. In this regard, the government cooperates with other interested social actors. If the prime minister is temporarily absent or incapable of exercising its executive power, the deputy prime minister takes over his functions, such as chairing the cabinet and the council of ministers.

The Constitution states that the prime minister represents the council of ministers and chairs its meetings,[2] outlines and presents the principal general policies of the state and is responsible for them, assures the implementation of legislation and policies approved by the Council of Ministers, coordinates and supervises the work of the members of the Council of Ministers and other institutions of the central state administration, performs other duties contemplated in the Constitution and laws, resolves disagreements among ministers, and issues orders in the exercise of his powers.[3] The prime minister can also initiate a proceeding of the Constitutional Court of Albania.[4]

Oath

Before assuming duty, the prime minister-elect is required to take an oath of office before the President, swearing loyalty to the Constitution. The text of the oath in its Albanian form is sensitive to gender and all nouns always retain a neutral form. The prime minister-elect takes the following oath of office, specified by the Constitution:[5][6]

Albanian: Betohem se do t’i bindem Kushtetutës dhe ligjeve të vendit, do të respektoj të drejtat dhe liritë e shtetasve, do të mbroj pavarësinë e Republikës së Shqipërisë dhe do t’i shërbej interesit të përgjithshëm dhe përparimit të Popullit Shqiptar. The President may add: Zoti më ndihmoftë!

English:

I swear that I will obey to the Constitution and laws of the country, that I will respect the rights and freedoms of citizens, protect the independence of the Republic of Albania, and I will serve the general interest and the progress of the Albanian People. The President may add: So help me God!

Office and residence

Main article: Kryeministria

The facade of the Kryeministria.

The Prime Minister's Office (Albanian: Kryeministria) is the official office and residence of the prime minister. It provides secretarial assistance to the prime minister. The prime minister through his office coordinates with all ministers in the central union cabinet, minister of independent charges and governors and ministers of state government. Furthermore informal meetings between the prime minister and other government or foreign officials takes place in the Office. It also consists of the immediate staff of the prime minister of Albania, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting to the prime minister. Since 1941, the building serves as the office and residence of the prime minister. The building is in the capital city of Tirana at the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard, near the Mother Teresa Square.

The building was planned by the Italian architects Florestano Di Fausto and Gherardo Bosio, and constructed together with the Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard, the Mother Teresa Square and all the buildings located on these squares, during the Italian occupation of Albania in 1939 to 1941, in a Rationalist style.

List of prime ministers (1912–present)

No.	Portrait	Name	Term in office		Party
Albania (1912–1914)[7]
1		Ismail Qemali (1844–1919)	4 December 1912	22 January 1914	Independent
			1 year, 1 month and 18 days
International Control Commission (22 January 1914 – 6 September 1914)
Principality of Albania (1914–1925)
2		Turhan Përmeti (1846–1927)	15 March 1914	3 September 1914	Independent
			5 months and 19 days
3		Esad Toptani (1863–1920)	2 October 1914	27 January 1916	Independent
			1 year, 3 months and 25 days
Austro-Hungarian Command (24 February 1916 – 28 December 1918)
—		Turhan Përmeti (1846–1927)	25 December 1918	29 January 1920	Independent
			1 year, 1 month and 4 days
4		Sulejman Delvina (1884–1933)	30 January 1920	15 November 1920	Independent
			9 months and 16 days
5		Ilias Vrioni (1882–1932)	15 November 1920	16 October 1921	Independent
			11 months and 1 day
6		Pandeli Evangjeli (1859–1949)	16 October 1921	6 December 1921	Independent
			1 month and 20 days
7		Qazim Koculi Acting Prime Minister (1887–1943)	6 December 1921	6 December 1921	Independent
			0 days
8		Hasan Prishtina (1873–1933)	7 December 1921	12 December 1921	Progressive Party
			5 days
–		Idhomen Kosturi Acting Prime Minister (1873–1943)	12 December 1921	24 December 1921	Independent
			12 days
9		Xhafer Ypi (1880–1940)	24 December 1921	2 December 1922	Popular Party
			11 months and 8 days
10		Ahmet Zogu (1895–1961)	2 December 1922	25 February 1924	Conservative Party
			1 year, 2 months and 23 days
11		Shefqet Vërlaci (1877–1946)	30 March 1924	27 May 1924	Progressive Party
			1 month and 27 days
—		Ilias Vrioni (1882–1932)	27 May 1924	10 June 1924	Independent
			14 days
12		Fan Noli (1882–1965)	16 June 1924	24 December 1924	Liberal Party
			6 months and 8 days
—		Ilias Vrioni (1882–1932)	24 December 1924	5 January 1925	Independent
			12 days
—		Ahmet Zogu (1895–1961)	6 January 1925	25 September 1925	Conservative Party
			8 months and 19 days
Albanian Republic (1925–1928)
—		Ahmet Zogu (1895–1961)	28 September 1925	1 September 1928	Conservative Party
			2 years, 11 months and 4 days
Albanian Kingdom (1928–1939)
13		Kostaq Kotta (1889–1949)	1 September 1928	5 March 1930	Unaffiliated
			1 year, 6 months and 4 days
—		Pandeli Evangjeli (1859–1949)	6 March 1930	16 October 1935	Unaffiliated
			5 years, 7 months and 10 days
14		Mehdi Frashëri (1872–1963)	21 October 1935	7 November 1936	Unaffiliated
			1 year and 17 days
—		Kostaq Kotta (1889–1949)	9 November 1936	7 April 1939	Unaffiliated
			2 years, 4 months and 29 days
Italian Occupation (1939–1943)
—		Shefqet Vërlaci (1877–1946)	12 April 1939	3 December 1941	Fascist Party
			2 years, 7 months and 21 days
15		Mustafa Merlika-Kruja (1887–1958)	3 December 1941	4 January 1943	Fascist Party
			1 year, 1 month and 1 day
16		Ekrem Libohova (1882–1948)	18 January 1943	11 February 1943	Fascist Party
			24 days
17		Maliq Bushati (1880–1946)	12 February 1943	28 April 1943	Fascist Party
			2 months and 16 days
—		Ekrem Libohova (1882–1948)	11 May 1943	10 September 1943	Fascist Party
			3 months and 30 days
German Occupation (1943–1944)
18		Rexhep Mitrovica (1887–1967)	5 November 1943	16 June 1944	National Front
			9 months and 11 days
19		Fiqri Dine (1897–1960)	18 July 1944	28 August 1944[8]	National Front
			1 month and 10 days
20		Ibrahim Biçaku (1905–1977)	6 September 1944	25 October 1944	National Front
			1 month and 19 days
People's Socialist Republic of Albania (1944–1991)
21		Enver Hoxha (1908–1985)	23 October 1944	19 July 1954	Communist Party renamed in 1948 to Party of Labour
			9 years, 8 months and 26 days
22		Mehmet Shehu (1913–1981)	20 July 1954	18 December 1981	Party of Labour
			27 years, 4 months and 28 days
23		Adil Çarçani (1922–1997)	15 January 1982	21 February 1991	Party of Labour
			9 years, 1 month and 6 days
Republic of Albania (1991–present)
24		Fatos Nano (born 1952)	22 February 1991	4 June 1991	Socialist Party
			3 months and 13 days
25		Ylli Bufi (born 1948)	11 June 1991	6 December 1991	Socialist Party
			5 months and 25 days
26		Vilson Ahmeti (born 1951)	14 December 1991	14 April 1992	Independent
			4 months
27		Aleksandër Meksi (born 1939)	13 April 1992	1 March 1997	Democratic Party
			4 years, 10 months and 16 days
28		Bashkim Fino (born 1962)	11 March 1997	24 July 1997	Socialist Party
			4 months and 13 days
—		Fatos Nano (born 1952)	25 July 1997	28 September 1998	Socialist Party
			1 year, 2 months and 3 days
29		Pandeli Majko (born 1967)	2 October 1998	25 October 1999	Socialist Party
			1 year and 23 days
30		Ilir Meta (born 1969)	28 November 1999	29 January 2002	Socialist Party
			2 years, 2 months and 1 day
—		Pandeli Majko (born 1967)	22 February 2002	25 July 2002	Socialist Party
			5 months and 3 days
—		Fatos Nano (born 1952)	29 July 2002	1 September 2005	Socialist Party
			3 years, 1 month and 3 days
31		Sali Berisha (born 1944)	12 September 2005	12 September 2013	Democratic Party
			8 years
32		Edi Rama (born 1964)	13 September 2013	Incumbent	Socialist Party
			6 years, 11 months and 1 day

See also

• List of Albanian monarchs
• List of heads of state of Albania
• Deputy Prime Minister of Albania

References

1. "1998 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA". osce.org. p. 19. At the beginning of a legislature, as well as when the position of Prime Minister is vacant, the President of the Republic appoints the Prime Minister on the proposal of the party or coalition of parties that has the majority of seats in the Assembly.
2. "1998 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA". osce.org. p. 20. represents the Council of Ministers and chairs its meetings;
3. Article 102, Section 1-3 of the Constitution of Albania (22 November 1998)
4. Article 134, Section 1(b) of the Constitution of Albania (22 November 1998)
5. "1998 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA". osce.org. p. 19. Before taking office, the Prime Minister, the deputy prime minister, and the ministers take an oath before the President of the Republic.
6. "KUSHTETUTA E REPUBLIKËS SË SHQIPËRISË" (PDF). wipo.int (in Albanian). Betohem se do t'i bindem Kushtetutes dhe ligjeve te vendit, do te respektoj te drejtat dhe lirite e shtetasve, do te mbroj pavaresine e Republikes se Shqiperise dhe do t'i sherbej interesit te pergjithshem dhe perparimit te Popullit Shqiptar". Presidenti mund te shtoje edhe: "zoti me ndihmofte
7. Dervishi, Kastriot (2012). Kryeministrat dhe ministrat e shtetit shqiptar në 100 vjet. Tiranë: Shtëpia Botuese "55". p. 273. ISBN 978-9994356225. OCLC 861296248.
8. Pearson, Owen (2005). Albania in Occupation and War: From Fascism to Communism, 1940-1945. London: The Centre for Albanian Studies. p. 1982. ISBN 1-84511-014-5.