Polls give electoral victory to the opposition

TIRANA, April 12 – Two polls held last month showed that the opposition, as a whole would come out victorious in the June 28 parliamentary elections, of course, if the voting was held in March.
One poll was held from the Italian company “IPR Marketing” contracted from “Ora News” private television station. It gave the Socialists a four-point difference compared to the governing Democrats.
A Zogby International poll, contracted from Top Channel private television station, showed that the difference between the two main political parties _ governing Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and main opposition Socialist party of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama _ was only two percent again to the favor of the opposition.
The IPR Marketing questioned some 1,546 person on telephone which resulted with 41-45 percent favoring the Socialists and 37-41 percent the Democrats.
The other smaller opposition Socialist Movement for Integration got 6-10 percent of the questioned voters.
The other smaller opposition political parties, The G99, Social Democrats, and Social Democracy got from two percent each. It also included the Human Rights Union Party of the ethnic Greek minority in the opposition coalition (though it is currently at the governing coalition, a move which it had done again four years ago).
In total the opposition would get an average of 45-49 percent of the vote, likely reaching the number of 71 seats in the parliament to create a government.
The other smaller parties in the governing coalition increased the total number of their victory 39.5 to 43.5. A separate rightist coalition, Freedom Pole, would get 0-2 percent.
The Zogby poll, which started earlier this year, showed that if elections were held in March the opposition Socialists would get 38 percent of the votes compared to 36 percent to the governing Democrats.
Third after them stayed the other but smaller opposition Socialist Movement for Integration of former premier Ilir Meta with five percent.
The G99 also of the opposition would get five percent, Republicans of the governing coalition, Social Democrats of the opposition and the rightist National Movement for Development would get only one percent each.
Eleven percent remained undetermined and five percent declined to answer. Albanians considered that unemployment (72 percent), economy (63 percent), poverty (46 percent), governing corruption and inflation (both 27 percent) were their main topics of concern. It results unemployment is an increasing concern when compared the results to the previous months, added with economy and poverty. While corruption and inflation have got better figures compared to the previous months.
But most of Albanians (46 percent) were still pessimistic that the country was going to the wrong direction compared to 43 percent saying it was in the right direction. The other was not convinced of either way.
In another question referring to their premier and opposition leader the questioned people favored Rama with 63 percent and Berisha with only 36 percent. But when speaking individually of them they were both in negative figures. Only 46 percent of the people spoke positively of Rama and 51 percent negatively, while on the other side 22 percent spoke positively of Berisha and 75 percent negatively.
Also at the IRP Marketing poll Rama came out victorious with 62 percent compared to 41 percent for Berisha. Besides 20 percent of Albanians considered Rama’s work as negative compared to 36 percent for Berisha.
Referring to the two parties 49 percent favored the Socialists and 45 percent the Democrats.
The Zogby poll is only one among at least two others held in the country.
The poll results are based on the new voting system _ a regional proportional one, which means that the figures speak nationwide, thus not giving really concrete results.
Besides the polls have turned into a big play of the ever-lasting political squabbling in post-communist Albania. There is also a third poll from Gani Bobi foundation.
For the moment the political fight remains only at the polls’ sphere.