Socialists getting ready for extraordinary convention

TIRANA, Aug. 12 – The main opposition Socialist Party is in the midst of its internal preparations for the Aug 29 extraordinary convention that will analyze the work of the party for the June 28 parliamentary elections and also elect the new party leader.
It seems that the fight for the party leader remains the main topic for the convention.
The party leadership has already said they do not politically recognize the poll results and consider illegitimate any institution that will come out of them. They mean the new government which is to be formed by a coalition between the Democratic party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the smaller leftist Socialist Movement for Integration party of Ilir Meta.
Meanwhile there is a clear grouping inside the Socialists who are asking that their party leader, Edi Rama, not be reelected as his project failed in the previous polls. That grouping is based on Fatmir Xhafaj and Ben Blushi but it has also likely collected other senior leaders like Ylli Bufi.
For the moment this group is preparing the platform their fight will be based upon.
Besides they have started to go all around the country to meet with local party leaders who will vote at the convention.
Their opponents, on the other side, are doing the same. Their vacations are over and they have started to create the required numbers to re-elect Rama.
That is a very likely possibility taking into consideration that Rama has worked during the last four years to name his supporters to the top party leadership posts and who will take part at the convention.
Socialists won 66 spots in the June 28 election, including one from the Human Rights Union Party. Berisha’s Democrats won 70, together with one from the Republican Party and one for the Justice for Integration, Cam Party. SMI of Ilir Meta won four seats in the 140-seat parliament.