On May 11, 2025 Albania will hold Parliamentary elections. For the first time, also Albanians abroad will have the chance to cast their votes. In addition to that, several new parties have entered the race. While opinion polls suggest that Prime Minister Edi Rama and his Socialist Party (PS) might once again win the elections, the political situation within the country, Albania’s relations with its regional neighbors as well as its EU integration process deserve a closer look. The arrest of Tirana’s mayor Erion Veliaj (PS) in February 2025 based on corruption allegations has sparked criticism from the ruling party against the judiciary and led to a political discussion within the country. While Edi Rama has in the past nurtured good relations with Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic, the recent signing of a defence cooperation agreement between Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo has sparked strong criticism from the Serbian side. At the same time, Albania has recently opened the first clusters within the EU accession negotiations and has voiced its ambition to join the EU by 2030. These and further issues will be discussed with our distinguished speakers to shed a light on the political situation in Albania ahead of the elections.

Panelists:
Alba Cela, Executive Director, Albanian Institute for International Studies
Franziska Tschinderle, Journalist, Correspondent for the Western Balkans, Tirana

Moderation:
Adelheid Feilcke, Director of Programs for Europe, DW (Deutsche Welle), Board Member of the Southease Europa Association (SOG)