Democratic Party of Albania

Democratic Party of Albania
Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë
Albanian name Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë
Leader Lulzim Basha
Leader of the Parliamentary Group Edmond Spaho
General Secretary Arben Ristani
Founder Aleksandër Meksi
Founded 12 December 1990[1]
Headquarters Bulevardi Zhan'dark 11, 1000, Tirana, Albania
Newspaper Rilindja Demokratike
Youth wing Forumi Rinor i Partise Demokratike
Membership (1991) 34,892
Ideology Conservatism[2][3][4]
Liberal conservatism[5]
Pro-Europeanism[5]
Political position Centre-right[5]
European affiliation European People's Party (associate)[6]
International affiliation Centrist Democrat International,
International Democrat Union
Slogan Republika e Re! (New Republic!)[7]
National Assembly
43 / 140
Municipality
16 / 61
Website
http://www.pd.al/
Albania
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Albania

The Democratic Party of Albania (Albanian: Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë, PD or PDSh) is a conservative[2][3][4] political party in Albania. The party became the leading party in the governing coalition following the 2005 parliamentary elections. It is an associate member of the European People's Party (EPP) and a full member of the International Democrat Union and Centrist Democrat International.[8][6][9] Rilindja Demokratike is the party's official newspaper.[10]

History

The party was founded on 12 December 1990 by Avdyl Matoshi, Azem Hajdari, Sali Berisha and Gramoz Pashko.[11] Arben Imami, Edmond Budina, Eduard Selami, Genc Ruli, Merita Zaloshnja and Aleksandër Meksi also took part in the early activities of the party. It was the first opposition party after they were legalized.

The party came to power in 1992 after winning the 1992 parliamentary election under the leadership of Sali Berisha and Aleksander Meksi and ruled until 1997. The government resigned in 1997 following a scandal over massive corruption during which a civil war nearly broke out. It was part of the Union for Victory (Bashkimi për Fitoren) coalition, which received 37.1 percent of the vote in the 2001 elections and 46 members of parliament.

In the 2005 parliamentary elections, the Democratic Party won 56 of the 140 seats and its allies won 18 under the call Time for Changes (Koha per Ndryshim). Two other parties also joined the new coalition (PAA of the left wing & PBDNJ of the Greek minority, with 4 and 2 seats, respectively). This meant that with a combined total of 79 seats, the Democratic Party and its allies were able to form a government with Sali Berisha becoming Prime Minister. One of his priorities was Albanian integration to NATO, an objective he accomplished in 2009 when Albania and Croatia were accepted as members.

After the defeat in the 2013 parliamentary election, Berisha announced his resignation as party leader. A one-member-one-vote election was held for the first time on 23 July 2013, in which Lulzim Basha defeated his opponent Sokol Olldashi and was elected chairman of the Democratic Party.[12][13]

On 30 September 2014, a national congress of the Democratic Party was held to elect a new leadership and to announce a tough reform of the party.[14]

On the 26th anniversary of the Democratic Party, party leader Basha announced his program for the further modernization and democratization of the party ahead of the 2017 parliamentary elections.

After previously promising that 35% of the parliamentary candidates would consist of members from the youth movement of the Party, Basha now announced a limitations of all mandates of the party leaders to a two-year term, and the full democratization of the internal election process.[15]

On 18 February 2017 members of the Democratic Party and other opposition parties, under the leadership of Lulzim Basha pitched a giant tent outside the Prime Minister's office in Tirana after thousands of protesters rallied to demand free elections and a technocrat government. The opposition protest further escalated into a larger political conflict. The Democratic Party and its allies refused to register to take part in the June 18 general election, until the government will accept their conditions to secure a free and democratic election.[16][17]

Headquarters

The party's headquarters is in Tirana, 50m from the Albanian parliament. The Rilindja Demokratike newspaper shares the building with the Democratic Party.

Election results

Year Votes % Seats Position +/– Government
1991720,94838.7%
75 / 250
2ndIncrease 75Opposition
19921,046,19357.3%
92 / 140
1stIncrease 17Coalition
1996914,21855.2%
122 / 140
1stIncrease 30Coalition
1997315,67724.1%
40 / 155
2ndDecrease 93Opposition
2001494,27236.9%
46 / 140
2ndIncrease 24Opposition
2005602,06644,1%
56 / 140
1stIncrease 10Coalition
2009610,46340.2%
68 / 140
2ndIncrease 12Coalition
2013528,37330.6%
50 / 140
2ndDecrease 18Opposition
2017427,77828.8%
43 / 140
2ndDecrease 7Opposition

Chairmen of PD

Person Period
Sali Berisha1991 – 1992
Eduard Selami1992 – 1995
Tritan Shehu (acting)1995
Tritan Shehu1995 – 1997
Genc Pollo (Interem)1997
Sali Berisha1997 – 2013
Lulzim Basha2013 –

2009 national elections

After the Albanian parliament elections of 2009 the Democrats won 67 MPs. The current list as of September 2011:[18][19]

2013 national elections

After the Albanian parliament elections of 2013 the Democrats won 45 MPs. The current list as of September 2013:

References

  1. ↑ Robert Elsie (2010) Historical Dictionary of Albania, Scarecrow Press, pxliii
  2. 1 2 Nordsieck, Wolfram (2017). "Albania". Parties and Elections in Europe.
  3. 1 2 Slomp, Hans (2011). Europe, A Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics. ABC-CLIO. p. 605. ISBN 978-0-313-39182-8.
  4. 1 2 Paul G. Lewis (2000). Political Parties in Post-Communist Eastern Europe. Routledge. pp. 53–. ISBN 978-0-415-20182-7. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 "The Albanian Electoral Systems since 1990" (PDF). Albanian Elections Observatory Brief (1). 19 April 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Parties and Partners". European People's Party.
  7. ↑ "Slogani: Ne jemi ndryshimi-përpara - Lajme - Top Channel". top-channel.tv. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  8. ↑ "Key Political Parties in Albania". Balkaninsight.
  9. ↑ "Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë". Eurofactbook.
  10. ↑ "Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë". PD.AL. Archived from the original on 2011-10-07.
  11. ↑ Doder, Dusko (20 January 1991). "At Last, Albanians Feel Winds of Change". The Chicago Tribune. Tirana. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "Basha Elected Head of Albania's Democrats :: Balkan Insight". www.balkaninsight.com. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  13. ↑ Times, Tirana (2013-07-26). "Basha elected new Democratic Party leader". Tirana Times. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  14. ↑ albania-opposition-party-elects-new-leadership
  15. ↑ "Basha Announces Thorough Reform of PD - Exit". Exit. 2016-12-11. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  16. ↑ "Albanian protesters rally, pitch tent to demand free elections". 18 February 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017 – via Reuters.
  17. ↑ "Albania Opposition Parties to Boycott June Elections :: Balkan Insight". www.balkaninsight.com. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  18. ↑ "Parliamentary group". pd.al.
  19. ↑ "List of elected members". Albanian parliament. Archived from the original on 2011-05-14.
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