2009 Albanian parliamentary election

Albanian parliamentary election, 2009

28 June 2009
All 140 seats to the Assembly
First party Second party Third party   Leader Sali Berisha Edi Rama Ilir Meta Party PD PS LSI Leader since December 1990 1 September 2005 2004 Leader's seat Tirana Did not participate Tirana Last election 56 (71) 42 (54) 5 (6) Seats won 68 (70) seats (Alliance of Changes) 65 (66) seats (Unification of Changes) 4 (4) seats (Socialist Alliance) Seat change +12 (−1) +23 (+12) −1 (−2) Popular vote 643,502 649,129 73,353 Percentage 46.85% 45.36% 5.55%
Prime Minister before election Sali Berisha PD Prime Minister-designate Sali Berisha PD

A parliamentary election was held in Albania on 28 June 2009. Prior to the election, the electoral law was changed to a regional proportionally system. Polls from March and April 2009 saw a very close race, with both the governing Democratic Party of Albania and the opposition Socialist Party of Albania around 37%, with minor parties like the Socialist Movement for Integration, the G99 Movement, the Unity for Human Rights Party and the Republican Party of Albania 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, 32 parties organized in four alliances contested the election:

• Alliance of Changes (Aleance e Ndryshimit)
  • Democratic Party of Albania
  • Republican Party of Albania (PR)
  • Environmentalist Agrarian Party (PAA)
  • Democratic Alliance Party (PAD)
  • Legality and Unity of the Right (PLL)
  • Democratic National Front Party (PBKD)
  • Albanian National Front (PBK)
  • Liberal Democratic Union (BLD)
  • Party for Justice and Integration (PDI) etc

• Unification for Changes (Bashkimi per Ndryshim)
  • Socialist Party of Albania
  • Social Democratic Party of Albania (PSD)
  • G99
  • Unity for Human Rights Party (PBDNJ)
  • Social Democracy Party of Albania (PDS)

• Pole of Freedom
  • Christian Democratic Party of Albania
  • Movement for the Future of Albania (LZHK)
  • Democratic Union Party (PBD)
  • Conservative Party

• Socialist Alliance
  • Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI)
  • Albanian Green Party (PGJ)
  • Movement of Human Rights and Freedoms (LDLNJ)
  • Real Socialist Party '91(PSV'91)
  • New Tolerance Party (PTR)

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 delegation head in Tirana, 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.

Electoral slogans

Name of party	Slogan in English	Slogan in Albanian
Democratic Party of Albania	Albania is changing	Shqipëria po ndryshon
Socialist Party of Albania	New politics for change	Politikë e re për ndryshim
Socialist Movement for Integration	Time for action	Koha për veprim
Republican Party of Albania	Family, Property, Nation	Familje, Pronë, Komb

Exit Polls

Right after the elections exit-polls have been conducted. According to Gani Bobi, the Democratic Party leads 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.[3].

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

Results

Nationwide Results

 Summary of the 28 June 2009 Assembly of the Republic of Albania election results
(Final results)

Parties and coalitions		Votes	%	Seats
Democratic Party (Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë)	PD	610463	40.18	68
Republican Party (Partia Republikane e Shqipërisë)	PR	31990	2.11	1
Party for Justice and Integration (Partia për Drejtësi dhe Integrim)	PDI	14477	0.95	1
Environmentalist Agrarian Party (Partia Agrare Ambientaliste)	PAA	13296	0.88	0
Legality Movement Party (Partia Lëvizja e Legalitetit)	PLL	10711	0.71	0
Demochristian League (Lidhja Demokristiane)	LDK	6095	0.4	0
National Front Party (Partia Balli Kombëtare)	PBK	5112	0.34	0
Liberal Democratic Union (Bashkimi Liberal Demokrat)	BLD	5008	0.33	0
Democratic Alliance Party (Partia Aleanca Demokratike)	AD	4682	0.31	0
Democratic National Front Party (Partia Balli Kombëtar Demokrat)	PBKD	4177	0.27	0
Party of New Albanian European democracy (Partia Demokracia e Re Europiane Shqiptare)	PDRESh	2111	0.14	0
New Party of Denied Rights (Partia e të Drejtave të Mohuara e Re)	PDMR	1408	0.09	0
Macedonian Alliance for European Integration (Aleanca e Maqedonasve për Integrim Evropian)	AMIE	1043	0.07	0
Alliance for Democracy and Solidarity (Aleanca për Demokraci dhe Solidaritet)	ADS	1067	0.07	0
Ora of Albania (Ora e Shqipërisë)	POSh	786	0.05	0
Forca Albania (Partia Forca Albania)	PFA	319	0.02	0
Total "Alliance for Changes" (Aleanca për Ndryshim)		712745	46.92	70
Socialist Party (Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë)	PS	620586	40.85	65
Social Democratic Party (Partia Socialdemokrate e Shqipërisë)	PSD	26700	1.76	0
Unity for Human Rights Party (Partia Bashkimi për të Drejtat e Njeriut)	PBDNJ	18078	1.19	1
G99 (Grupim 99)	G99	12989	0.86	0
Social Democracy Party of Albania (Partia Demokracia Sociale e Shqipërisë)	PDS	10365	0.68	0
Total "Unification for Changes" (Bashkimi për Ndryshim)		688748	45.34	66
Socialist Movement for Integration (Lëvizja Socialiste për Integrim)	LSI	73678	4.85	4
Real Socialist Party '91 (Partia Socialiste e Vërtetë '91)	PSV '91	6548	0.43	0
Movement of Human Rights and Freedoms (Lëvizja për të Drejtat dhe Liritë e Njeriut)	LDLNj	2931	0.19	0
Green Party (Partia e Gjelbër)	PGj	437	0.03	0
Party for the Protection of Immigrants' Rights (Parti për Mbrojtjen e të Drejtave të Emigrantëve)	PMDE	376	0.02	0
New Tolerance Party (Partia Tolerancë e Re e Shqipërisë)	PTR	437	0.03	0
Total "Socialist Alliance" (Aleanca Socialiste për Integrim)		84407	5.56	4
Christian Democratic Party (Partia Demokristiane e Shqipërisë)	PDK	13308	0.88	0
Movement for National Developement (Lëvizja për Zhvillim Kombëtar)	LZhK	10753	0.71	0
Democratic Union Party (Partia Bashkimi Demokrat Shqipëtar)	PBD	1030	0.07	0
Conservative Party (Partia Konservatore)	PKONS	1047	0.07	0
Democratic Reform Party (Partia e Reformave Demokratike Shqiptare)	PRDSh	495	0.03	0
Path of Freedoms Party (Partia Rruga e Lirisë)	PRrL	1002	0.07	0
Total "Pole of Freedom" (Poli i Lirisë)		27655	1.82	0
Law and Justice Party (Partia Ligj dhe Drejtësi)	PLiDr	4865	0.32	0
Independent (Pavarur)	PAVARUR	756	0.05	0
Total (turnout: %)		1519176	100.00	140
Source: CEC

Regional Results

The electorate was split in twelve regions, 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 North to South.

Regions	Alliance of Changes		Unification of Changes		Socialist Alliance for Integration		Pole of Freedom		Total seats
	%	Seats	%	Seats	%	Seats	%	Seats
Shkoder	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
Durres	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
Gjirokaster	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

Coalition talks

Following the results, after a few days when it was unclear whether the PD-led alliance held 70 or 71 seats, the leader of the Socialist Movement for Integration announced on 4 July 2009 that he had accepted Berisha's invitiation to form a government with the PD and stated he wanted to be a stabilising factor in Albania's way towards EU membership.