Presidential election continues to split parliament

TIRANA, June 4 – While the process of electing the next president has yet to begin, all politicians in Albania have become involved in a daily parade of ideas on how the next president should be elected and who may run for the job.
Current president Alfred Moisiu said at a Monday ceremony with youngsters, that while Albanian society and its economy were already part of Europe, its politics were far behind European standards.
Moisiu has made it clear he would like to run for a second term but it is not clear whether he has the support of the opposition. His Democratic Party, which nominated him five years ago, remains opposed to his seeking a second term.
Bamir Topi of the Democrats said that the next president should come from the political ranks, in a clear attack on Socialist Party leader Edi Rama, who said a day earlier that the president should come from academic or civic circles and not politics.
The presidential electoral process normally starts June 24 while Moisiu’s mandate expires July 24.
While both major political groupings declare they support electing a consensual person, the way they interpret it is different.
Governing Democrats say their candidate, Topi, is best qualified and they remain open to competition in the election.
A president is elected by the 140-seat parliament with three-fifths, or at least 84 votes. Democrats and their allies do not have that many votes in parliament.
The opposition, on the other side, says that the candidate should come out of their ranks, the same way Moisiu was chosen five years ago.
Ruling Democrats are themselves not in agreement and have been unable to reach a common stand. Also, Republicans’ President, Sabri Godo, remains a presidential candidate.
While the opposition seems to be in much more trouble as the former Socialist party leader and Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, has almost created a veto, saying he is the best candidate to run, or he might spark a row that could split the party.
Unless the parliament is able to elect a president within five rounds of voting, the country goes to new elections within 60 days, according to the constitution.