TIRANA: Albania's incumbent Prime Minister Edi Rama was on track to win his fourth term as his Socialist Party won most of the seats in weekend elections, partial results indicated on Monday.
Albanians cast their ballots on Sunday, in legislative elections seen as key for the Balkan nation's bid to join the European Union. The vote was dominated by the contest between three-time premier Rama, who focused his campaign on EU integration, and right-winger Sali Berisha, from the Democratic Party of Albania.
The two campaigned mainly on economic issues such as pensions, wages, infrastructure and tourism.
But there were bitter exchanges too on the fight against corruption and organised crime, both of which are seen as essential requirements for Albania's EU aspirations.
Rama's Socialist Party won 52.6 per cent of the vote and the Berisha-led alliance of around 20 opposition parties promising a "great Albania" 34.1 per cent, according to the results based on more than 40 per cent of the ballots counted and published by the Central Election Commission.
The Socialist Party could as a result eventually have more lawmakers than after the 2021 elections. At the time it won 74 seats in the 140-seat assembly.
"The election was generally conducted in line with the required norms and standards," CEC chief Ilirjan Celibashi told reporters on Sunday evening after polling stations closed.
"We must remain calm and patient during the transparent, closely monitored vote count," he said.
The turnout was 42.16 per cent or around four percentage points lower than in 2021, the CEC said.
On Monday, Berisha at a press conference called on the opposition election commissioners "to remain vigilant and count every vote".
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