Why did the opposition waste Tirana's chance?

2025-10-23 14:07:00, Opinione Mentor Kikia

The Democratic Party did not field a candidate for the Tirana municipality because those who were perceived as the most likely contenders refused. They refused because they were not sure of victory and understood that they would simply be the next victim.

Also because the small opposition parties did not want to support a subordinate of Berisha. And they went to the experiment with Florian Binaj, who has the support of the opposition, but tries not to present himself as a representative of any party, in the hope that he will receive the benefits but not the costs.

However, what could the opposition in Tirana have done better? They are referring specifically to the Democratic Party.
Tirana could have been the field where not only the team competing for the municipality would train, but the new democratic team. It could have been the track where not only the candidate for the municipality of Tirana, but also the candidate for the new political leadership would warm up.

After May 11, the opposition is not only weakened, but also demoralized. Its people accepting government positions are evidence of surrender. Berisha is looking for resilient heroes, but 16 years in the opposition is too much for anyone, in a country where even a hospital guard is recommended for work by the party. The DP should, in addition to denouncing the May 11 elections and denouncing government corruption, enter the restructuring process, to become an alternative to the government and an inspiration in the upcoming elections. And Tirana was the chance to open the stage to young people, to show their ability, ambition, articulation in public communication, their ideas and approaches, to introduce themselves to the citizens of Tirana and Albanians as a whole. Because this is how the new leadership would be produced, not by coming out of the bag of the old mayor.

But this did not happen, because no one dared and above all because Berisha had decided: He will continue to be the mayor. And, when Berisha is in the game, no one thinks of going out in the heat.

Berisha will run again for party chairman. And he will win, as no one will compete with him. He will be 82 years old when he is reconfirmed as head of the DP and 85 years old when the elections come. The DP will have suffered more erosion and he will have mostly contemporaries and peers who received mandates with the closed list, as they do not want to stay at home with their grandchildren. The elections of May 11, despite the enthusiasm of the new parties, showed that the “license” of the opposition is with the DP and Berisha has the DP.

Berisha and his followers are seeking and thinking that prison should be the solution for political rotation. There are many former ministers, former deputies, former mayors, former directors, etc. in prison, but this was not enough for the people to revolt by voting. Because it is not enough for the government to be corrupt for the opposition to come to power. Because, apparently, stopping “Rama 4” to bring back “Berisha 4” was not seen as a solution.

The Socialists, meanwhile, have gained immunity to scandals and arrests. The public, with the help of propaganda, has too. The government has only one goal now: to gain Albania an “EU member” status, as it will be, without voting rights and without veto rights. To be called a “member in waiting” or whatever they want, it is enough to politically achieve the promise of “Albania 2030”.