Albanian parliamentary election, 2009

A parliamentary election was held in Albania

Albania

Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...

on 28 June 2009. Prior to the election, the electoral law was changed to a regional and proportional system. Polls from March and April 2009 saw a very close race, with both the governing Democratic Party of Albania

Democratic Party of Albania

The Democratic Party of Albania is a center-right, Conservative, political party in Albania and the leading party in the governing coalition since the 2005 parliamentary elections...

and the opposition Socialist Party of Albania

Socialist Party of Albania

The Socialist Party of Albania , is a centre-left, social democraticand socially liberal political party in Albania, it is currently the leading opposition party in Albania. It seats 66 MPs in the 2009 Albanian parliament . It achieved power in 1997 after a political crisis and governmental...

around 37%, with minor parties like the Socialist Movement for Integration

Socialist Movement for Integration

The Socialist Movement for Integration is a social democratic Albanian political party. It was formed in 2004 after Ilir Meta quit the Socialist Party of Albania.At the elections in July 2005 the party won five seats in the Parliament...

, the G99 Movement, the Unity for Human Rights Party

Unity for Human Rights Party

The Unity for Human Rights Party is a centrist, liberal-inclined party in Albania. Founded in 1992, it represents Albania's minorities and is mainly related to the Greek minority as it is the political continuation of the Democratic Union of the Greek Minority .-Election results:The party usually...

and the Republican Party of Albania

Republican Party of Albania

The Republican Party of Albania is a right-wing, national conservative political party in Albania.-History:The Republican Party of Albania was founded in January 1991 under the leadership of the writer Sabri Godo, who was also its first chairman. After the Democratic Party, this was the second...

in the low single digits.

Alliances

Shortly before the election, the ethnic Greek Unity for Human Rights Party switched their allegiance, abandoning their alliance with the Democratic Party of Albania to join the Socialist Party of Albania. The Party for Justice and Integration, a party representing the interest of ethnic Albanians whose properties in Greece where seized after WW2, joined the coalition in its place. In total, 33 parties organized in four alliances, one party runnings on its own and one independent contested the election:

Alliance of Change (Aleance e Ndryshimit)
- Democratic Party of Albania
  Democratic Party of Albania
  The Democratic Party of Albania is a center-right, Conservative, political party in Albania and the leading party in the governing coalition since the 2005 parliamentary elections...
  
  (PD)
- Republican Party of Albania
  Republican Party of Albania
  The Republican Party of Albania is a right-wing, national conservative political party in Albania.-History:The Republican Party of Albania was founded in January 1991 under the leadership of the writer Sabri Godo, who was also its first chairman. After the Democratic Party, this was the second...
  
  (PR)
- Environmentalist Agrarian Party
  Environmentalist Agrarian Party
  The Environmentalist Agrarian Party is an Albanian political party, founded in 1991. The party is led by Lufter Xhuveli. Initially the party was known as the Agrarian Party of Albania , until a name change took place in 2003...
  
  (PAA)
- Democratic Alliance Party
  Democratic Alliance Party (Albania)
  The Democratic Alliance Party is a centrist liberal party in Albania. The party was formed in 1992 by Neritan Ceka and other dissidents of the Democratic Party of Albania. Theyopposed the leadership of the party's leader Sali Berisha. The Democratic Alliance Party became part of a socialist led...
  
  (PAD)
- Legality and Unity of the Right
  Movement of Legality Party
  The Legality Movement Party is a monarchist political party in Albania, led by Eqerem Spahia. It supports the return to power of the House of Zogu under Crown Prince Leka of the Albanians...
  
  (PLL)
- Democratic National Front Party
  Democratic National Front Party
  Democratic National Front Party is a political party in Albania led by Artur Roshi. It is a Right Wing group which has Nationalist policies which aim to create a Greater Albania. It is closely linked to the former Ultra-Nationalist Bali Kombater but has made its policies more moderate.PBKD was...
  
  (PBKD)
- National Front Party (PBK)
- Liberal Democratic Union
  Liberal Democratic Union
  The Liberal Democratic Union is a political party in Albania. In the 2001 elections it was part of the Union for Victory coalition which received 37.1% of the vote and 46 members of parliament...
  
  (BLD)
- Party for Justice and Integration
  Party for Justice and Integration
  Party for Justice and Integration , was a former Albanian political party that tends to represent the Cham Albanians in politics.On 17 February 2011 it is joined to Party for Justice, Integration and Unity.-Statute:...
  
  (PDI)
- Christian Democratic League (LDK)
- Democratic Alliance Party
  Democratic Alliance Party (Albania)
  The Democratic Alliance Party is a centrist liberal party in Albania. The party was formed in 1992 by Neritan Ceka and other dissidents of the Democratic Party of Albania. Theyopposed the leadership of the party's leader Sali Berisha. The Democratic Alliance Party became part of a socialist led...
  
  (AD)
- Democratic National Front Party
  Democratic National Front Party
  Democratic National Front Party is a political party in Albania led by Artur Roshi. It is a Right Wing group which has Nationalist policies which aim to create a Greater Albania. It is closely linked to the former Ultra-Nationalist Bali Kombater but has made its policies more moderate.PBKD was...
  
  (PBKD)
- Party of New Albanian European Democracy (PRDESh)
- New Party of Denied Rights (PDMR)
- Macedonian Alliance for European Integration
  Macedonian Alliance for European Integration
  The Macedonian Alliance for European Integration is a political party of the ethnic Macedonians in Albania. It was established on 30 October 2004 under the name Macedonian Alliance for European Integration and was registered as a political party on 8 June 2005.-First Party Congress:The first...
  
  (AMIE)
- Alliance for Democracy and Solidarity (ADS)
- Ora of Albania (POSh)
- Forca Albania (PFA)

Unification for Changes (Bashkimi per Ndryshim)
- Socialist Party of Albania
  Socialist Party of Albania
  The Socialist Party of Albania , is a centre-left, social democraticand socially liberal political party in Albania, it is currently the leading opposition party in Albania. It seats 66 MPs in the 2009 Albanian parliament . It achieved power in 1997 after a political crisis and governmental...
  
  (PS)
- Social Democratic Party of Albania
  Social Democratic Party of Albania
  The Social Democratic Party of Albania is a social-democratic Albanian political party. The party was formed on April 22, 1991. The first party congress was held in January 1992....
  
  (PSD)
- G99
  G99
  G99 is a left political party in Albania created in 2008 by a group of activists who have previously participated in the Movement Mjaft!...
- Unity for Human Rights Party
  Unity for Human Rights Party
  The Unity for Human Rights Party is a centrist, liberal-inclined party in Albania. Founded in 1992, it represents Albania's minorities and is mainly related to the Greek minority as it is the political continuation of the Democratic Union of the Greek Minority .-Election results:The party usually...
  
  (PBDNJ)
- Social Democracy Party of Albania
  Social Democracy Party of Albania
  The Social Democracy Party of Albania is a Social democratic Albanian political party. At the elections in July 2005 it won two seats in Parliament and its leader is Paskal Milo.At the elections in June 2009 it won 0.68 percent....
  
  (PDS)

Pole of Freedom
- Christian Democratic Party of Albania
  Christian Democratic Party of Albania
  The Christian Democratic Party of Albania is a small Centre-right, Christian democratic, political party in Albania.The PDK's first election was in 1996, where it won no seats in the 140 seat Assembly of Albania but took 1.3% of the popular vote. In the following year, 1997, it won a single...
  
  (PDK)
- Movement for National Development (LZHK)
- Democratic Union Party (PBD)
- Conservative Party (PKONS)
- Path of Freedoms Party (PRrL)
- Democratic Reform Party (PRDSh)

Socialist Alliance
- Socialist Movement for Integration
  Socialist Movement for Integration
  The Socialist Movement for Integration is a social democratic Albanian political party. It was formed in 2004 after Ilir Meta quit the Socialist Party of Albania.At the elections in July 2005 the party won five seats in the Parliament...
  
  (LSI)
- Albanian Green Party (PGJ)
- Movement of Human Rights and Freedoms (LDLNJ)
- Real Socialist Party '91 (PSV'91)
- New Tolerance Party (PTR)
- Party for the Protection of Immigrants' Rights (PMDE)

Law and justice party

Polls

> > > > > > > > > > > >

Name of polls company	Polling Date	Alliance of Change (Democratic Party of Albania)	Unification for Changes (Socialist Party of Albania)	Socialist Alliance for Integration (Socialist Movement for Integration)	Pole of Freedom (Christian Democratic Party of Albania)
Zogby	January	31%	38%	5%	1%
Gani Bobi Institute	February	46.6%	43.6%	6.2%	1%
Zogby	February	36%	42%	5%	1%
Zogby	March	37%	42%	5%	1%
Gani Bobi Institute	April	46.6%	45.1%	6.2%	1.5%
Zogby	April	39%	39%	6%	0%
IPR Marketing	April	39%	43%	8%	2%
IPR Marketing	May	44.7%	47.3%	7%	0%
Zogby	May–June	42%	42%	4%	2%
Gani Bobi Institute	June	41.1%	33.2%	3.2%	0%
IPR Marketing	17 June	42.6%	39.6%	4.5%	2%
IPR Marketing	21 June	47.9%	44.1%	6%	2%

European Union

The EU

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

delegation head in Tirana

Tirana

Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...

, Helmut Lohan, said in January 2009 that the election would be considered by the EU as a "litmus test" for Albania's bid to join the union

Future enlargement of the European Union

The future enlargement of the European Union is theoretically open to any European country which is democratic, operates a free market and is willing and able to implement all previous European Union law...

Electoral slogans

> > > >

Name of party	Slogan in English	Slogan in Albanian
Democratic Party of Albania Democratic Party of Albania The Democratic Party of Albania is a center-right, Conservative, political party in Albania and the leading party in the governing coalition since the 2005 parliamentary elections...	Albania is changing	Shqipëria po ndryshon
Socialist Party of Albania Socialist Party of Albania The Socialist Party of Albania , is a centre-left, social democraticand socially liberal political party in Albania, it is currently the leading opposition party in Albania. It seats 66 MPs in the 2009 Albanian parliament . It achieved power in 1997 after a political crisis and governmental...	New politics for change	Politikë e re për ndryshim
Socialist Movement for Integration Socialist Movement for Integration The Socialist Movement for Integration is a social democratic Albanian political party. It was formed in 2004 after Ilir Meta quit the Socialist Party of Albania.At the elections in July 2005 the party won five seats in the Parliament...	Time for action	Koha për veprim
Republican Party of Albania Republican Party of Albania The Republican Party of Albania is a right-wing, national conservative political party in Albania.-History:The Republican Party of Albania was founded in January 1991 under the leadership of the writer Sabri Godo, who was also its first chairman. After the Democratic Party, this was the second...	Family, Property, Nation	Familje, Pronë, Komb

Exit Polls

Right after the elections exit-polls were conducted.
According to Gani Bobi, the Democratic Party led the Socialist Party with 47,5% and 38,8% respectively, with the Socialist Movement for Integration getting 6,5%.
According to APR Marketing's exit poll, the Democratic Party won between 42% and 46%, and the Socialist Party between 36,5% and 40,4%..The exit poll by Zogby International gave the Democratic Part 69 seats and to the Socialist Party 55.http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Exit_polls_see_Albania_s_ruling_Democrats_winning.html?siteSect=143&sid=10890014&cKey=1246222376000&ty=ti.

All the exit polls, while they predicted the results of certain regions properly, were rather inaccurate as the election was much closer.

Nationwide Results

Summary of the 28 June 2009 Assembly of the Republic of Albania election results

(Final results)
|-
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left colspan=2 width=600 valign=top|Parties and coalitions
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center|Votes
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center|%
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" rowspan=1|Seats
|-
|align=left|Democratic Party

Democratic Party of Albania

The Democratic Party of Albania is a center-right, Conservative, political party in Albania and the leading party in the governing coalition since the 2005 parliamentary elections...

(Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë)
|align="right" |PD
|align="right" |610463
|align="right" |40.18
|align="right" |68
|-
|align=left|Republican Party

Republican Party of Albania

(Partia Republikane e Shqipërisë)
|align="right" |PR
|align="right" |31990
|align="right" |2.11
|align="right" |1
|-
|align=left|Party for Justice and Integration

Party for Justice and Integration

Party for Justice and Integration , was a former Albanian political party that tends to represent the Cham Albanians in politics.On 17 February 2011 it is joined to Party for Justice, Integration and Unity.-Statute:...

(Partia për Drejtësi dhe Integrim)
|align="right" |PDI
|align="right" |14477
|align="right" |0.95
|align="right" |1
|-
|align=left|Environmentalist Agrarian Party

Environmentalist Agrarian Party

The Environmentalist Agrarian Party is an Albanian political party, founded in 1991. The party is led by Lufter Xhuveli. Initially the party was known as the Agrarian Party of Albania , until a name change took place in 2003...

(Partia Agrare Ambientaliste)
|align="right" |PAA
|align="right" |13296
|align="right" |0.88
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|Legality Movement Party (Partia Lëvizja e Legalitetit)
|align="right" |PLL
|align="right" |10711
|align="right" |0.71
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|Demochristian League (Lidhja Demokristiane)
|align="right" |LDK
|align="right" |6095
|align="right" |0.4
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|National Front Party

National Front (Albania)

The party of the Albanian National Front is a nationalist political party in Albania. In the 2001 elections it was part of the Union for Victory coalition which received 37.1% of the vote and 46 members of parliament....

(Partia Balli Kombëtare)
|align="right" |PBK
|align="right" |5112
|align="right" |0.34
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|Liberal Democratic Union

Liberal Democratic Union

The Liberal Democratic Union is a political party in Albania. In the 2001 elections it was part of the Union for Victory coalition which received 37.1% of the vote and 46 members of parliament...

(Bashkimi Liberal Demokrat)
|align="right" |BLD
|align="right" |5008
|align="right" |0.33
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|Democratic Alliance Party

Democratic Alliance Party (Albania)

The Democratic Alliance Party is a centrist liberal party in Albania. The party was formed in 1992 by Neritan Ceka and other dissidents of the Democratic Party of Albania. Theyopposed the leadership of the party's leader Sali Berisha. The Democratic Alliance Party became part of a socialist led...

(Partia Aleanca Demokratike)
|align="right" |AD
|align="right" |4682
|align="right" |0.31
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|Democratic National Front Party

Democratic National Front Party

Democratic National Front Party is a political party in Albania led by Artur Roshi. It is a Right Wing group which has Nationalist policies which aim to create a Greater Albania. It is closely linked to the former Ultra-Nationalist Bali Kombater but has made its policies more moderate.PBKD was...

Macedonian Alliance for European Integration

The Macedonian Alliance for European Integration is a political party of the ethnic Macedonians in Albania. It was established on 30 October 2004 under the name Macedonian Alliance for European Integration and was registered as a political party on 8 June 2005.-First Party Congress:The first...

Socialist Party of Albania

(Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë)
|align="right" |PS
|align="right" |620586
|align="right" |40.85
|align="right" |65
|-
|align=left|Social Democratic Party

Social Democratic Party of Albania

The Social Democratic Party of Albania is a social-democratic Albanian political party. The party was formed on April 22, 1991. The first party congress was held in January 1992....

(Partia Socialdemokrate e Shqipërisë)
|align="right" |PSD
|align="right" |26700
|align="right" |1.76
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|Unity for Human Rights Party

Unity for Human Rights Party

(Partia Bashkimi për të Drejtat e Njeriut)
|align="right" |PBDNJ
|align="right" |18078
|align="right" |1.19
|align="right" |1
|-
|align=left|G99

G99

G99 is a left political party in Albania created in 2008 by a group of activists who have previously participated in the Movement Mjaft!...

(Grupim 99)
|align="right" |G99
|align="right" |12989
|align="right" |0.86
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|Social Democracy Party of Albania

Social Democracy Party of Albania

The Social Democracy Party of Albania is a Social democratic Albanian political party. At the elections in July 2005 it won two seats in Parliament and its leader is Paskal Milo.At the elections in June 2009 it won 0.68 percent....

(Partia Demokracia Sociale e Shqipërisë)
|align="right" |PDS
|align="right" |10365
|align="right" |0.68
|align="right" |0
|-
|- bgcolor="pink"
|align="left" colspan=2|Total "Unification for Changes" (Bashkimi për Ndryshim)
|align="right" |688748
|align="right" |45.34
|align="right" |66
|-
|align=left|Socialist Movement for Integration

Socialist Movement for Integration

(Lëvizja Socialiste për Integrim)
|align="right" |LSI
|align="right" |73678
|align="right" |4.85
|align="right" |4
|-
|align=left|Real Socialist Party '91 (Partia Socialiste e Vërtetë '91)
|align=right |PSV '91
|align=right |6548
|align=right |0.43
|align=right |0
|-
|align=left|Movement of Human Rights and Freedoms (Lëvizja për të Drejtat dhe Liritë e Njeriut)
|align=right |LDLNj
|align=right |2931
|align=right |0.19
|align=right |0
|-
|align=left|Green Party (Partia e Gjelbër)
|align=right |PGj
|align=right |437
|align=right |0.03
|align=right |0
|-
|align=left|Party for the Protection of Immigrants' Rights (Parti për Mbrojtjen e të Drejtave të Emigrantëve)
|align="right" |PMDE
|align="right" |376
|align="right" |0.02
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|New Tolerance Party (Partia Tolerancë e Re e Shqipërisë)
|align=right |PTR
|align=right |437
|align=right |0.03
|align=right |0
|- bgcolor="red"
|align="left" colspan=2|Total "Socialist Alliance" (Aleanca Socialiste për Integrim)
|align="right" |84407
|align="right" |5.56
|align="right" |4
|-
|align=left|Christian Democratic Party

Christian Democratic Party of Albania

The Christian Democratic Party of Albania is a small Centre-right, Christian democratic, political party in Albania.The PDK's first election was in 1996, where it won no seats in the 140 seat Assembly of Albania but took 1.3% of the popular vote. In the following year, 1997, it won a single...

Democratic Reform Party

Democratic Reform Party may mean:* Partido ng Demokratikong Reporma – Lapiang Manggagawa, a Philippines political party* A former Japanese political party, see Liberalism in Japan* Party for Democratic Reforms , an Azerbaijani political party...

(Partia e Reformave Demokratike Shqiptare)
|align="right" |PRDSh
|align="right" |495
|align="right" |0.03
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|Path of Freedoms Party (Partia Rruga e Lirisë)
|align="right" |PRrL
|align="right" |1002
|align="right" |0.07
|align="right" |0
|- bgcolor="orange"
|align="left" colspan=2|Total "Pole of Freedom" (Poli i Lirisë)
|align="right" |27655
|align="right" |1.82
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|Law and Justice Party (Partia Ligj dhe Drejtësi)
|align="right" |PLiDr
|align="right" |4865
|align="right" |0.32
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left|Independent (Pavarur)
|align="right" |PAVARUR
|align="right" |756
|align="right" |0.05
|align="right" |0
|-
|align=left colspan="2"| Total (turnout: %) 50.77%
|align=right |1519176
|align=right |100.00
|align=right |140
|-
|colspan="8"|Source: CEC
|}

Regional Results

The electorate was split in twelve regions

Counties of Albania

Albania is divided into twelve counties . Each contains several districts...

, in a regional proportional system, each of which elected a specific number of Members of Parliament (deputet). The following table details the regional results going from North to South.

Regions	Alliance of Changes		Unification of Changes		Socialist Alliance for Integration		Pole of Freedom		Total seats
Regions	%	Seats	%	Seats	%	Seats	%	Seats	Total seats
Shkodër	58.11	7	35.18	4	2.9	0	3.45	0	11
Kukes	65.00	3	31.31	1	2.97	0	0.67	0	4
Lezhe	54.32	4	34.47	3	5.61	0	3.37	0	7
Diber	57.72	4	32.38	2	5.72	0	4.08	0	6
Durrës	51.65	7	39.22	5	8.02	1	0.85	0	13
Tirane	46.83	16	45.69	15	5.24	1	1.82	0	32
Elbasan	45.06	7	47.77	7	5.04	0	1.94	0	14
Fier	39.98	6	51.83	9	6.47	1	1.55	0	16
Berat	33.16	3	54.62	4	11.35	1	0.68	0	8
Korce	46.96	6	47.82	6	4.21	0	0.59	0	12
Vlore	37.46	5	54.89	7	5.01	0	2.45	0	12
Gjirokastër	40.10	2	55.9	3	3.27	0	0.59	0	5
Total	46.92	70	45.34	66	5.56	4	1.82	0	140

Subsequent effects

Initially the PD led coalition interred into discussions about dividing up the various cabinet posts.
While it was still unclear whether the PD-led alliance held 70 or 71 seats, the leader of the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) announced on 4 July 2009 that he had accepted Berisha's invitation to form a government with the PD and stated he wanted to be a stabilising factor in Albania's path towards European Union

European Union

membership. With the addition of the four seats from LSI, the coalition had the necessary majority to form a government. Nonetheless, in November 2010, the EU in its "Key findings of the Opinion on Albania" found that the political stalemate since the June 2009 elections was a significant barrier to Albania's candidacy for European Union membership.

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