Republican Party of Albania
Encyclopedia
The Republican Party of Albania is a right-wing, national conservative political party
in Albania
.
, who was also its first chairman. After the Democratic Party, this was the second party to be founded in Albania after the anti-communist revolution in the autumn of 1990. As the name suggests, the Republicans chose the U.S. Republican Party
for their political role model. They arranged themselves as right of center on the political spectrum, slightly more right-wing than the Democratic Party of Albania
.
After the parliamentary elections of March 1992, the first really free elections, in which the party gained 3.8 percent of the vote, it entered a coalition with the Democrats but had little influence on the policies being shaped. After the 1997 rebellion in Albania
in which the Centre-Right coalition was overthrown by Socialist supporters the Party became the opposition party and aimed to try and restrict the power of the Socialists.
Before the 2001 elections, the party joined the Alliance for the victory (Alb. Bashkimi për Fitor) under the leadership of the Democratic Party of Albania
. This combination of right-wing parties was aimed to dent the Socialist party of Albania
and possibly bring the majority and bring about the change of government. This however happened in 2005 where the Republicans gained their highest number of seats ever due to the dissatisfication of many Albanian voters with the continuous feuds between the Socialists and Democrats over the previous months.
The party was certified by the Central Election Commission of having received the largest number of votes of any party for the party list, though it is generally accepted that this is due to votes having been transferred for strategic reasons by voters of the Democratic Party of Albania
or by members of ballot counting teams.
It remained an ally of the Democratic Party of Albania
, the leading party in the Victory Coalition, which also did well. The Democratic Party allied with the Socialist Movement for Integration
formed the government after the elections of 2009.
In the Albanian local elections, 2011
the Republican Party of Albania won a total of 67,039 votes throughout the country, twice the amount they had received in the Albanian parliamentary election, 2009
.
and therefore its ideology is closely based on conservative, free market and many other right wing policies. Although its policies are considered to be National Conservative it also has several minor factions such as Social Conservatism and Populism which have almost disappeared under the leadership of Fatmir Mediu
which has seen more right-wing policies such as National Conservatism emerge, as well as several Pro-European and Pro-Nato policies.
Though the party was originally founded as a conservative, Republican and generally anti-Communist and anti-Monarchist party which wanted reforms to speed up so democracy could be put in place more quickly, and founded as a alternative to the Democrats
and the Socialist
who were bickering between each other, it has usually been aligned with the Centre right Democrats
, due to the fact that it was bitterly opposed to the Socialists who they regarded as Communists hiding under a more moderate Centre Left Trojan Horse, despite being more the right than the Democrats.
Although the party was initially Eurosceptic
as it was part of the Eurosceptic group within the European Parliament, Alliance for Europe of the Nations, it has since then changed its stance on Europe and left the group in 2009 after adopting several Pro-European and Pro-NATO policies.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
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...
.
History
The Republican Party of Albania was founded in January 1991 under the leadership of the writer Sabri GodoSabri Godo
Sabri Godo is a politician, writer and screenwriter in Albania. He was born on August 8, 1929 in Delvinë. He did primary school in Delvinë and then secondary school in Tirana where he continued the latter left in the half in the third year where he participated in anti-fascist war, 15 July 1943...
, who was also its first chairman. After the Democratic Party, this was the second party to be founded in Albania after the anti-communist revolution in the autumn of 1990. As the name suggests, the Republicans chose the U.S. Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
for their political role model. They arranged themselves as right of center on the political spectrum, slightly more right-wing than the 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...
.
After the parliamentary elections of March 1992, the first really free elections, in which the party gained 3.8 percent of the vote, it entered a coalition with the Democrats but had little influence on the policies being shaped. After the 1997 rebellion in Albania
1997 rebellion in Albania
The 1997 unrest in Albania, also known as the Lottery Uprising or Anarchy in Albania, was an uprising sparked by Ponzi scheme failures...
in which the Centre-Right coalition was overthrown by Socialist supporters the Party became the opposition party and aimed to try and restrict the power of the Socialists.
Before the 2001 elections, the party joined the Alliance for the victory (Alb. Bashkimi për Fitor) under the leadership of the 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...
. This combination of right-wing parties was aimed to dent the 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...
and possibly bring the majority and bring about the change of government. This however happened in 2005 where the Republicans gained their highest number of seats ever due to the dissatisfication of many Albanian voters with the continuous feuds between the Socialists and Democrats over the previous months.
Electoral history
In the 2001 election it was part of the Union for Victory (Bashkimi për Fitoren) coalition which received 37.1% of the vote and 46 members of parliament. In the 2005 elections the Republican Party received 11 of the 140 seats, making it the third largest political party in the Albanian Parliament.The party was certified by the Central Election Commission of having received the largest number of votes of any party for the party list, though it is generally accepted that this is due to votes having been transferred for strategic reasons by voters of the 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...
or by members of ballot counting teams.
It remained an ally of the 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...
, the leading party in the Victory Coalition, which also did well. The Democratic Party allied with 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...
formed the government after the elections of 2009.
In the Albanian local elections, 2011
Albanian local elections, 2011
The Albanian local elections of 2011 took place on 8 May 2011 in Albania. Electors were asked to elect their municipality's mayor, municipal council members, municipal unit mayor, and municipal unit members...
the Republican Party of Albania won a total of 67,039 votes throughout the country, twice the amount they had received in the Albanian parliamentary election, 2009
Albanian parliamentary election, 2009
A parliamentary election was held in Albania on 28 June 2009. Prior to the election, the electoral law was changed to a regional and proportional system...
.
Ideology
The Republican Party of Albania has adhered to the agenda of the Republican Party (United States)Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and therefore its ideology is closely based on conservative, free market and many other right wing policies. Although its policies are considered to be National Conservative it also has several minor factions such as Social Conservatism and Populism which have almost disappeared under the leadership of Fatmir Mediu
Fatmir Mediu
Fatmir Mediu is a former Albanian Minister of Defence . On March 2008, after the military ammunition explosion incident in Gërdec, where 26 people were killed, Mediu resigned and is under investigation. His successor is Gazmend Oketa.He is currently Minister of Environment, Forests & Water...
which has seen more right-wing policies such as National Conservatism emerge, as well as several Pro-European and Pro-Nato policies.
Though the party was originally founded as a conservative, Republican and generally anti-Communist and anti-Monarchist party which wanted reforms to speed up so democracy could be put in place more quickly, and founded as a alternative to the Democrats
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 Socialist
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...
who were bickering between each other, it has usually been aligned with the Centre right Democrats
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...
, due to the fact that it was bitterly opposed to the Socialists who they regarded as Communists hiding under a more moderate Centre Left Trojan Horse, despite being more the right than the Democrats.
Although the party was initially Eurosceptic
Euroscepticism
Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state...
as it was part of the Eurosceptic group within the European Parliament, Alliance for Europe of the Nations, it has since then changed its stance on Europe and left the group in 2009 after adopting several Pro-European and Pro-NATO policies.
Seats in parliament
| Year | Seats | Number of total seats |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 Albanian parliamentary election, 1992 Parliamentary elections were held in Albania on 22 March 1992, with a second round of voting for eleven seats on 29 March. The result was a victory for the opposition Democratic Party of Albania, which won 92 of the 140 seats. After the election Aleksandër Meksi became Prime Minister and Sali... |
1 | 140 |
| 1996 Albanian parliamentary election, 1996 Parliamentary elections were held in Albania on 26 May 1996, with a second round of voting for 25 seats on 2 June. The result was a victory for the ruling Democratic Party of Albania, which won 122 of the 140 seats... |
3 | 140 |
| 1997 Albanian parliamentary election, 1997 Parliamentary elections were held in Albania on 29 June 1996 alongside a simultaneous referendum on restoring the monarchy, with a second round of voting for 32 seats on 6 July. The result was a victory for the Socialist Party of Albania, which won 101 of the 151 seats. Voter turnout was... |
0 | 155 |
| 2001 Albanian parliamentary election, 2001 Parliamentary elections were held in Albania on 24 June 2001. The result was a victory for the ruling Socialist Party of Albania, which won 73 of the 140 seats, resulting in Ilir Meta remaining Prime Minister... |
46 | 140* |
| 2005 | 11 | 140 |
| 2009 Albanian parliamentary election, 2009 A parliamentary election was held in Albania on 28 June 2009. Prior to the election, the electoral law was changed to a regional and proportional system... |
1 | 140 |
- in coalition with other parties