"The system that produced the Electoral Code is unprincipled"/ Spahiu: National necessity to unite in a single front

2025-07-27 16:29:00, Politikë CNA

"The system that produced the Electoral Code is unprincipled"/ Spahiu:

The Chairman of the Movement for National Development, Ekrem Spahiu, has made a statement to the media regarding the Electoral Code and the results of the LZHK on May 11.

Spahiu said that the changes approved in the Electoral Code in July 2024 have brought deformations to the democratic system in Albania.

Regarding the May 11 elections, Spahiu said that two and a half months after the elections, the results have not yet been released and the prolonged counting has led to fatigue among all participants in the process.

Regarding the Electoral Code, Spahiu said that the main parties, the DP and the SP, have received more mandates than they were entitled to based on the changes made to the Electoral Code.

Full statement

The "Movement for National Development" has a significant reason why we are making this statement to the media today. Like a year ago today, on July 26, 2024, the Albanian Parliament, in the last plenary session of the parliamentary session, after midnight, approved the amendments to the Electoral Code with only 106 votes of the SP & DP deputies.

Of course, with this Electoral Code, we lost in the elections of May 11, 2025. It is precisely for this loss that we have analyzed, taken our responsibilities and made the relevant decisions, but we have the moral right not to remain silent because time proved us right very quickly. The legitimate reason why we continue and will continue to evoke that moment is that that Electoral Code was proven to have produced serious deformations for the democratic system in Albania:

• Exactly two and a half months ago, the elections were held and the election results have not yet been released.

• According to preliminary results, it appears that we will have disproportionate representation in the Assembly: the Socialist Party, out of the 74 mandates that correspond to it according to votes, has received 83 mandates, that is, 9 more.

• The DP, out of the 46 mandates that correspond to it according to votes, has received 50 mandates, that is, 4 more.

• Meanwhile, all other entities outside of the SP & DP have received 13 fewer mandates.

• So unprincipled was the system that this Code produced that in recent months we have witnessed accusations and serious clashes between candidates within the parties for preferential votes in the SP, DP and even the party "Nisma Shqipëria Bëhet".

• The prolonged vote counting clearly showed the fatigue, to the point of exhaustion, of the commissioners, counters, observers, candidates, etc.

The final product of this code; Now Prime Minister Rama, even with the entire state's commitment to the elections, has absolute power and no longer asks for anyone, while the DP has a monopoly on the entire opposition and must now take all responsibilities to get out of this extremely difficult situation for Albanians.

Precisely in order not to degrade into these serious deformations of the democratic system, the "Movement for National Development" and its MP Mr. Dashamir Shehi, for about two years made every effort to achieve an electoral reform in accordance with democratic standards for free, fair and accepted elections by the competitors.

For illustration, I am bringing to your memory and attention only the finalization of the efforts of the "Movement for National Development" which you certainly have in the archives of your televisions and media:

On July 8, 2024, the "Movement for National Development" organized a roundtable discussion on Electoral Reform, which is vital for the 2025 political elections, at the "Tirana International" Hotel.

This roundtable was attended by the opposition parliamentary parties, represented by Messrs. Oerd Bylikbashi, Fatmir Mediu, Agron Duka, Vangjel Dule, Nard Ndoka, MPs: Enkelejd Alibeaj, Ferdinand Xhaferri, Dash Sulaj, Flamur Hoxha, etc.

Also present at the roundtable were representatives of the OSCE office in Tirana, the American Republican Institute and the American Democratic Institute, the Institute of Political Studies - Afrim Krasniqi, former CEC Chairman Kristaq Kume, representatives of the "December '90" Group, the "Kriik" Election Observation Action, leaders of associations and non-governmental organizations such as Aleksandër Çipa, Aulon Kalaja, etc., and experts in the field of elections.

The purpose of the roundtable was for the opposition factor to align and unify its positions on Electoral Reform, addressing them in the plenary session of the Albanian Parliament.

LZHK expresses its position that the main priority of the entire opposition should be Electoral Reform, with the sole goal of holding free, fair, credible and accepted elections in Albania next year, 2025.

Now we are faced with this difficult situation and the question that arises is, what are we going to do? A responsible opposition has the mission of protecting democracy, being in open battle with the abusive government and preparing the governing alternative. In this context, the “National Development Movement”, not only does not surrender in the face of evil, obstacles and difficulties that are created for democracy in Albania, but on the contrary, it is even more motivated.

Faced with this reality, the "Movement for National Development" expresses its position that it is a national necessity for the political unification of all opposition factors and actors in a common front, using all democratic means and methods, to create a transitional government with a limited mandate to achieve:

- Constitutional amendments

- Review of territorial reform

- Electoral reform

- Early elections/ CNA