The counting of Albanian votes is coming to an end and the results show a clear victory for the Socialist Party, which so far has 82 seats in parliament. However, even though the loss is profound, the leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, once again stated in a press conference that he will not accept the results of the 2025 elections.
He described the elections as "the most manipulated in the history of pluralism in Albania," accusing that votes were bought, patronage agents were used, criminal groups intervened, and gangs were engaged to change the will of the voters.
"The May 11 elections are robbed, plundered and violated elections. Never before have the bandits had more representatives in parliament than this time. The May 11 elections were characterized by the most massive public purchase in the entire history of elections in Albania. The 100 euro envelope, sent in the middle of the electoral campaign and the amnesty of 200 million euros in fines and interest from 2015 to 2025, is the most powerful public purchase that has occurred in the history of the country," he said.
Further, he continued:
"Employment, work for votes, was massively applied in these elections. The criminal system of patronage, embedded in dens or around the voting center, was a terrorist police force against Albanian voters."
He also stated that there were patrons around the polling centers:
“The patronage agents around the polling centers created an atmosphere of terror for Albanian voters,” Berisha concluded.
Meanwhile, Edi Rama has preferred not to comment on the result, saying he is waiting for it to end.
So far, the voting results, according to Euronews, are:
Socialist Party (SP) – 688,284 votes (52.06%)
PD-ASHM – 456,130 votes (34.50%)
Opportunity Party – 38,947 votes (2.95%)
PSD – 45,757 votes (3.46%)
Initiative Albania Becomes (NISMA-SHB) – 46,304 votes (3.50%)
Joint Movement – ??18,274 votes (1.38%)
KEA – 17,844 votes (1.35%)
Right for Development (DZH) – 5,151 votes (0.39%)
Albanian National Alliance (AKSH) – 2,501 votes (0.19%)
Homeland Movement (LA) – 1,925 votes (0.15%)
New Democracy Alliance (ADR) – 932 votes (0.07%)
