Party leaders set for Tirana race

TIRANA, April 1 – Albania’s capital will be a strong and difficult area of contest for the political parties in the June 23 parliamentary elections. Most or all leaders of the main political parties will likely run in in the County of Tirana, which includes the cities of Tirana and Kavaja.
That has also been made mandatory following the amendments of the Electoral Code last year which said that the party leaders cannot run in the 12 areas in the country but only in the capital. That means that some 800,000 voters in the capital area will have to decide whether the party leaders should be part of the new parliament.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha, leader of the governing Democratic Party, and leader of the main opposition Socialist Party Edi Rama will head the list of the new candidates in the capital. Other party leader include Ilir Meta of the Socialist Movement for Integration, Nard Ndoka of the Christian Democrats or Vangjel Dule of the Human Rights Union Party, Fatmir Mediu of the Republicans, Dashamir Shehu of the National Development Movement, Skender Gjinushi of the Social Democrats as well as the newest parties of Bamir Topi of the New Democratic Spirit and Kreshnik Spahiu of the Red-and-Black Alliance. This will be a new context as the leaders of the two main political parties have not run against each other in the same area before. Berisha has always run in Kavaja. Four years ago Rama did not run as he was still Tirana mayor. While in 2005 then-Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano ran in southern area of Saranda.
There is enough place for all of them, however, as Tirana will choose 32 new lawmakers in June.