Albania to hold parliamentary elections in June 28

TIRANA, Jan 14 – President Bamir Topi announced Wednesday that Albania will hold parliamentary elections on June 28.
More than two million Albanians will vote to elect 140 lawmakers for a four-year term with a recently approved electoral code.
This time Albanians will vote for a proportional system in which they will cast their votes for the party that, on its side, will have a list of its candidates for the posts.
The new system, which is based more heavily on regional preferences, had serious opposition from small political parties claiming it aims at taking them out of the new parliament.
Elections in post-communist Albania have always had serious shortcomings and the June polls, the seventh parliamentary ones, will be a major test for the country’s government, political institutions and the maturity of its political establishment.
Albania hopes to become a full NATO member this spring and also may apply for candidate status with the European Union.