Prime Minister Berisha has put an end to all the guess-work around the future government after the draw between the centre-right coalition and the two left-wing ones. With no hesitation whatsoever, not awaiting the final, official result of the Central Election Commission, Berisha has invited the Socialist Movement for Integration, a left-wing opposition party, to join the DP in forming the new government. It would have sufficed for Dr Berisha to invite the Union for Human Rights Party to the next government and later add seats in parliament by ‘encouraging’ individuals from other parties to join. The phenomenon is well-known in Albanian politics. Instead of taking up this fine option, however, Prime Minister Berisha has made a strategic move through which he has achieved several things in terms of numbers, image, and opposition.
First, he has guaranteed himself a majority of 74 seats in parliament (75 if the results from the disputed district of Fier are finally confirmed by CEC), a majority that can guarantee stability in his second mandate.
Second, by inviting a leftwing party, in particular, to co-govern, Prime Minister Berisha projects the image of a modern politician, willed to find consensus with his political opponents, as opposed to the conflictual image that prevails in Albanians’ memory to date.
Third, the invitation and immediate public acceptance of SMI to co-govern intensifies the political conflict between the SP and SMI. Ilir Meta is now a ‘traitor’ not only in the eyes of socialist militants, but also in the eyes of the Socialist Party’s leadership, including the party head Edi Rama who accuses Meta of trafficking 83 thousand socialist votes by serving as Berisha’s clutches.
Apart from aggravating the conflict between the two leftwing parties, Berisha’s invitation to govern with the SMI may hold other consequences within the SP, as often with the formula “divide and rule”. Thus, Meta’s readiness to co-govern with Berisha may have strengthened Rama’s position vis-ஶis his opponents’ increasing calls for his resignation from the party leadership.
Basically, with a single political move, Prime Minister Berisha has managed to build a sufficient majority to govern, improve his image, and has set the stage to reap the fruits of a canon as old as politics – divide and rule.
Many predicted that Ilir Meta and SMI would be the kingmaker of the next government, after the June 28th elections. However, those that thought that Ilir Meta and SMI would help in forming a majority that gives Prime Minister Berisha a second mandate were few, if indeed there were any. This is exactly what happened, though. Ilir Meta is the kingmaker, just as he is a ‘traitor’. Despite the context, reasons and factors that led political opponents to create a common government, this development with undoubtedly influence positive changes in political culture in Albania. While the quality and longevity of this government that is being set up by DP and SMI depends on the will and readiness to co-govern, to really share power and not simply share cabinet posts, Prime Minister Berisha and Ilir Meta have only reached an agreement in principle. The details are yet to be discussed, and the devil often hides in the details.
