Albanian PM Rama Secures Historic Fourth Term Amid Election Disputes

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has secured an unprecedented fourth term as his Socialist Party won 52% of the vote in the recent parliamentary elections, gaining 82 seats in the 140-seat parliament and extending his majority. Despite the victory, the opposition Democratic Party and its leader Sali Berisha have rejected the results, alleging vote tampering and calling Rama a 'narco-dictator,' while international observers have raised concerns about election fairness, citing voter intimidation and misuse of public funds. The election commission has confirmed the results but investigations into 39 cases related to vote buying are ongoing. Rama's win is seen as a continuation of political stability in Albania compared to turmoil in other Balkan states, though experts remain skeptical of his ambitious goal to join the European Union by 2030 without major reforms, especially to tackle corruption. Political analysts have noted the scale of Rama's victory as surprising given recent scandals and opposition fractures, with some comparing his dominance to that of Hungary's Viktor Orban. Meanwhile, Rama maintains support from Western nations due to his policies on migration and regional cooperation.