Small parties resent electoral reform prospects

TIRANA, April 3 – The smaller political parties in Albania have increased their shouts and also other efforts in order to remind the governing Democratic Party and main opposition Socialist party that they too have a place in the parliament and also in the country’s life.
The two main political parties are discussing on the electoral reform. There have been continuous calls from the smaller parties like the Republican Party, Social Democrats or the Socialist Movement for Integration, that the electoral amendments should take their request under consideration.
They basically want that the proportional vote to include the whole country and not be divided into regional ones like it is at the moment.
The electoral reform is proceeding well though not totally in time with the plan to complete it by now.
The two main political parties seem to have agreed in principle that the election voting should be held by a machine that would cut the time and also the corruptive efforts.
But the smaller parties, especially those that are part of the parliament, try also to impose themselves.
The Socialist Movement for Integration of Ilir Meta is also making other warnings. They have three seats in the parliament and the governing Democrats desperately need them not only for many laws but also for the election of the president expected later this year.
Without those votes the Democrats can hardly elect any president, based on constitution, as they have said.
The voting for the new president requires three-fifth the first two times and a simple majority, or 71 votes of the 140-seat parliament the third time.
Meta’s party is inclining that the president should be elected by consensus as the international community has openly asked and as the opposition Socialists have said. Though it may be a political element, such a threat means another pressure on Democrats’ leader Sali Berisha to seriously take them into account.
There is no chance that Meta will rejoin the Socialists but such threats are a clear warning that they are still key elements in the country’s political life.
Meanwhile the Socialist Party has already started efforts or consultations on their candidate for the post of president in the June election. Their leader Edi Rama convened an advising council to discuss on the possible candidacy, hoping that Berisha will abide by the requests of the international community.
Berisha has insisted until now that the new president will be elected based on the constitution and that he/she belongs to the governing Democrats to propose and elect.
The process is still not in its official launch, though discussions on that have long started in this country.