2005 Albanian parliamentary election
Parliamentary elections were held in Albania on 3 July 2005.[1] The result was a victory for the opposition Democratic Party (PD) and its allies, prominently the Republican Party (PR). Former president Sali Berisha became prime minister as a result of the election.[2]
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All 140 seats in the Parliament of Albania 71 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turnout | 49.07% (4.55pp) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Electoral system
The 140 members of parliament were elected using the mixed-member proportional representation. Voters elected 100 deputies directly from constituencies and 40 from party lists.[3]
Conduct
The proper conduct of the election was seen as crucial in maintaining Albania's eventual EU hopes.[4] For the most part, election day was peaceful, but OSCE monitors said that the poll only partially complied with international standards,[5] citing disorganization, improper procedures and "a few violent incidents." The Central Election Commission (CEC) received over 300 complaints.[6]
Monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe called the election a “disappointment,” saying it failed to comply with international standards because of “serious irregularities,” intimidation, vote-buying and “violence committed by extremists on both sides.”[7]
Results
On 14 July the CEC released final results for 97 constituencies as well as the tentative national proportional results. The clear winners were the Democratic Party and its allies, though with many close constituency races between the PD and the governing Socialist Party of Albania (PSSh). The only party to win both proportional and constituency-level seats was the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) of former prime minister Ilir Meta, as Meta himself won the party's lone constituency mandate. Despite this, the LSI did not fulfill pre-election expectations that it might emerge as a dealmaker in the next parliament.
Party or alliance | Constituency | Compensatory | Total seats | +/– | |||||||
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Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | ||||||
Alliance for Freedom, Justice and Welfare | Democratic Party of Albania | 602,066 | 44.06 | 56 | 104,796 | 7.67 | 0 | 56 | +10 | ||
Republican Party of Albania | 272,746 | 19.96 | 11 | 11 | New | ||||||
New Democratic Party | 101,373 | 7.42 | 4 | 4 | +1 | ||||||
Demochristian Party of Albania | 44,576 | 3.26 | 2 | 2 | +2 | ||||||
Liberal Democratic Union | 14,418 | 1.06 | 1 | 1 | New | ||||||
Freedom and Human Rights Movements | 9,027 | 0.66 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Democratic National Front Party | 7,632 | 0.56 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Albanian Democratic Union Party | 7,371 | 0.54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
Total | 602,066 | 44.06 | 56 | 561,939 | 41.13 | 18 | 74 | +24 | |||
Socialist Party of Albania | 538,906 | 39.44 | 42 | 121,412 | 8.89 | 0 | 42 | –31 | |||
Socialist Movement for Integration | 112,451 | 8.23 | 1 | 114,798 | 8.40 | 4 | 5 | New | |||
Movement for National Development | 20,955 | 1.53 | 0 | 47,967 | 3.51 | 0 | 0 | New | |||
Social Democratic Party of Albania | 18,365 | 1.34 | 0 | 174,103 | 12.74 | 7 | 7 | +3 | |||
Unity for Human Rights Party | 12,171 | 0.89 | 0 | 56,403 | 4.13 | 2 | 2 | –1 | |||
Democratic Alliance Party | 10,649 | 0.78 | 0 | 65,093 | 4.76 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |||
Environmentalist Agrarian Party | 9,988 | 0.73 | 0 | 89,635 | 6.56 | 4 | 4 | +1 | |||
Social Democracy Party of Albania | 8,514 | 0.62 | 0 | 57,998 | 4.25 | 2 | 2 | New | |||
Communist Party of Albania | 3,891 | 0.28 | 0 | 8,937 | 0.65 | 0 | 0 | New | |||
Party of Labour of Albania | 3,449 | 0.25 | 0 | 9,292 | 0.68 | 0 | 0 | New | |||
Alliance for Welfare and Solidarity | 1,726 | 0.13 | 0 | 5,029 | 0.37 | 0 | 0 | New | |||
Social Albanian Parties – National Unity Party | 1,433 | 0.10 | 0 | 3,260 | 0.24 | 0 | 0 | New | |||
Albanian National Front Party[lower-alpha 1] | 1,277 | 0.09 | 0 | 22,896 | 1.68 | 0 | 0 | New | |||
Albanian Democratic Monarchist Movement Party | 957 | 0.07 | 0 | 774 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 | New | |||
Albanian Green League | 638 | 0.05 | 0 | 1,710 | 0.13 | 0 | 0 | New | |||
Albanian Democratic Party for a New Right Democracy | 555 | 0.04 | 0 | 1,794 | 0.13 | 0 | 0 | New | |||
Albanian National Community Party | 548 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Democratic Movement for Integration | 505 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Albanian Future Party | 445 | 0.03 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Albanian Socialist Alliance Party | 245 | 0.02 | 0 | 6,604 | 0.48 | 0 | 0 | New | |||
Albanian Party of Democratic Reforms | 231 | 0.02 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Communist Party of Albania 8 November | 124 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Social Christian Party of Albania | 107 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
People's Alliance Party | 99 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Albanian National Reconciliation Party | 78 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Albanian Emigration Party | 34 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Green Party of Albania | 22 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Party for Justice and Integration | 16,012 | 1.17 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Albanian National Security Party | 570 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | New | ||||||
Independents | 16,077 | 1.18 | 1 | 1 | –1 | ||||||
Total | 1,366,506 | 100.00 | 100 | 1,366,226 | 100.00 | 40 | 214 | 0 | |||
Valid votes | 1,366,506 | 97.78 | 1,366,226 | 98.42 | |||||||
Invalid/blank votes | 31,013 | 2.22 | 21,973 | 1.58 | |||||||
Total votes | 1,397,519 | 100.00 | 1,388,199 | 100.00 | |||||||
Registered voters/turnout | 2,848,144 | 49.07 | 2,850,821 | 48.69 | |||||||
Source: CLEA (constituency), CEC (compensatory) |
Notes
- Originally intended to be part of the PD-alliance but due to lack of signatures not allowed to join.[8]
References
- Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p133 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
- "Albania's new PM takes charge". The Independent. 2 September 2005. p. 22.
- Albania IFES
- Hope, Kerin (2005-07-01). "Election puts Albania at crossroads on Sunday's vote will decide whether the Balkan nation resumes talks linked to closer integration with the Union". Financial Times. p. 2.
- Hope, Kerin (2005-07-11). "Former Albanian president tainted by savings scheme scandal poised for Balkan comeback". Financial Times. p. 8.
- "Berisha officially declared election winner". Ireland On-Line. 2005-09-01. Archived from the original on 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
- Stuart Stevens' ... Past Clients| Penn Bullock| 29 October 2012| tnr.com| accessed 29.10.2012
- Albanische Hefte. 2005. p. 7. ISSN 0930-1437.