TIRANA, July 19 – The Albanian parliament votes Friday, for the fourth time in an attempt to elect a new president, and there is increasing hope the opposing parties are coming closer to choosing a candidate they can agree on.
Bamir Topi of the governing Democratic Party will be opposed in the presidential ballot by Neritan Ceka of the opposition Democratic Alliance.
Ceka has not secured the full support of the opposition political parties. However, the opposition has said it would agree to give its consent to Ceka if Topi would withdraw.
Topi had earlier said withdrawal was out of the question, but he has remained silent about withdrawl since the beginning of the week.
The opposition parties have insisted they are preparing for general elections, as required by the Constitution, if a presidential candidate is not elected.
Opposition Socialist Party leader, Edi Rama, has even begun a nationwide tour announcing his party is in favor of early elections, a move that has been strongly supported by their smaller opposition ally, the Social Democrats, but not openly supported, as previously, by the two other opposition parties, the Socialist Movement for Integration (SMI) and Social Democracy.
Ilir Meta’s SMI has even said his party members would vote for Topi as they did not agree with how the Socialists conducted talks on finding a presidential candidate with the ruling Democrats.
There was also open pressure against former Socialist leader Fatos Nano, who ran for president but was disqualified following the third round when Ceka entered the race.
The opposition has now made it clear they would support Ceka if Topi withdraws.
There is also pressure from within the governing coalition that Topi withdraws.
However, that does not mean Topi will remove his name from consideration.
That move may likely come during the final parliamentary vote, which may be held from Saturday to Monday.
President Alfred Moisiu’s mandate expires Tuesday, July 24.
The new president is elected by the parliament, needing at least three-fifths, or 84 votes, of the 140 seats.
