2005 Albanian parliamentary election

2005 Albanian parliamentary election
	All 140 seats in Parliament; 71 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	49.07% ( 4.55pp)
Fatos Nano; PS	Sali Berisha; PD

Parliamentary elections were held in Albania on 3 July 2005.^[1] The result was a victory for the opposition Democratic Party (PD) and its allies, prominently the Republican Party (PR). Former president Sali Berisha became prime minister as a result of the election.^[2]

Electoral system

The 140 members of parliament were elected using the mixed-member proportional representation. Voters elected 100 deputies directly from constituencies and 40 from party lists.^[3]

Conduct

The proper conduct of the election was seen as crucial in maintaining Albania's eventual EU hopes.^[4] For the most part, election day was peaceful, but OSCE monitors said that the poll only partially complied with international standards,^[5] citing disorganization, improper procedures and "a few violent incidents." The Central Election Commission (CEC) received over 300 complaints.^[6]

Monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe called the election a “disappointment,” saying it failed to comply with international standards because of “serious irregularities,” intimidation, vote-buying and “violence committed by extremists on both sides.”^[7]

Results

On 14 July the CEC released final results for 97 constituencies as well as the tentative national proportional results. The clear winners were the Democratic Party and its allies, though with many close constituency races between the PD and the governing Socialist Party of Albania (PSSh). The only party to win both proportional and constituency-level seats was the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) of former prime minister Ilir Meta, as Meta himself won the party's lone constituency mandate. Despite this, the LSI did not fulfill pre-election expectations that it might emerge as a dealmaker in the next parliament.



Party or alliance				Constituency			Compensatory			Total seats	+/–
Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Total seats	+/–
	Alliance for Freedom, Justice and Welfare		Democratic Party of Albania	602,066	44.06	56	104,796	7.67	0	56	+10
			Republican Party of Albania				272,746	19.96	11	11	+6
			New Democratic Party				101,373	7.42	4	4	+1
			Demochristian Party of Albania				44,576	3.26	2	2	+2
			Liberal Democratic Union				14,418	1.06	1	1	New
			Freedom and Human Rights Movements				9,027	0.66	0	0	New
			Democratic National Front Party				7,632	0.56	0	0	New
			Albanian Democratic Union Party				7,371	0.54	0	0	0
		Total		602,066	44.06	56	561,939	41.13	18	74	+24
	Socialist Party of Albania			538,906	39.44	42	121,412	8.89	0	42	–31
	Socialist Movement for Integration			112,451	8.23	1	114,798	8.40	4	5	New
	Movement for National Development			20,955	1.53	0	47,967	3.51	0	0	New
	Social Democratic Party of Albania			18,365	1.34	0	174,103	12.74	7	7	+3
	Unity for Human Rights Party			12,171	0.89	0	56,403	4.13	2	2	–1
	Democratic Alliance Party			10,649	0.78	0	65,093	4.76	3	3	0
	Environmentalist Agrarian Party			9,988	0.73	0	89,635	6.56	4	4	+1
	Social Democracy Party of Albania			8,514	0.62	0	57,998	4.25	2	2	New
	Communist Party of Albania			3,891	0.28	0	8,937	0.65	0	0	New
	Party of Labour of Albania			3,449	0.25	0	9,292	0.68	0	0	New
	Alliance for Welfare and Solidarity			1,726	0.13	0	5,029	0.37	0	0	New
	Social Albanian Parties – National Unity Party			1,433	0.10	0	3,260	0.24	0	0	New
	Albanian National Front Party^[a]			1,277	0.09	0	22,896	1.68	0	0	New
	Albanian Democratic Monarchist Movement Party			957	0.07	0	774	0.06	0	0	New
	Albanian Green League			638	0.05	0	1,710	0.13	0	0	New
	Albanian Democratic Party for a New Right Democracy			555	0.04	0	1,794	0.13	0	0	New
	Albanian National Community Party			548	0.04	0				0	New
	Democratic Movement for Integration			505	0.04	0				0	New
	Albanian Future Party			445	0.03	0				0	New
	Albanian Socialist Alliance Party			245	0.02	0	6,604	0.48	0	0	New
	Albanian Party of Democratic Reforms			231	0.02	0				0	New
	Communist Party of Albania 8 November			124	0.01	0				0	New
	Social Christian Party of Albania			107	0.01	0				0	0
	People's Alliance Party			99	0.01	0				0	New
	Albanian National Reconciliation Party			78	0.01	0				0	New
	Albanian Emigration Party			34	0.00	0				0	New
	Green Party of Albania			22	0.00	0				0	New
	Party for Justice and Integration						16,012	1.17	0	0	New
	Albanian National Security Party						570	0.04	0	0	New
	Independents			16,077	1.18	1				1	–1
Total				1,366,506	100.00	100	1,366,226	100.00	40	214	0

Valid votes				1,366,506	97.78		1,366,226	98.42
Invalid/blank votes				31,013	2.22		21,973	1.58
Total votes				1,397,519	100.00		1,388,199	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				2,848,144	49.07		2,850,821	48.69
Source: CLEA (constituency), CEC (compensatory)

Notes

^ Originally intended to be part of the PD-alliance but due to lack of signatures not allowed to join.^[8]

References

^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p133 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
^ "Albania's new PM takes charge". The Independent. 2 September 2005. p. 22.
^ Albania IFES
^ Hope, Kerin (2005-07-01). "Election puts Albania at crossroads on Sunday's vote will decide whether the Balkan nation resumes talks linked to closer integration with the Union". Financial Times. p. 2.
^ Hope, Kerin (2005-07-11). "Former Albanian president tainted by savings scheme scandal poised for Balkan comeback". Financial Times. p. 8.
^ "Berisha officially declared election winner". Ireland On-Line. 2005-09-01. Archived from the original on 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
^ Stuart Stevens' ... Past Clients| Penn Bullock| 29 October 2012| tnr.com| accessed 29.10.2012
^ Albanische Hefte. 2005. p. 7. ISSN 0930-1437.

External links

[9] Originally intended to be part of the PD-alliance but due to lack of signatures not allowed to join.^[8]

[1] Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p133 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7

[charge-2] "Albania's new PM takes charge". The Independent. 2 September 2005. p. 22.

[3] Albania IFES

[crossroads-4] Hope, Kerin (2005-07-01). "Election puts Albania at crossroads on Sunday's vote will decide whether the Balkan nation resumes talks linked to closer integration with the Union". Financial Times. p. 2.

[comeback-5] Hope, Kerin (2005-07-11). "Former Albanian president tainted by savings scheme scandal poised for Balkan comeback". Financial Times. p. 8.

[berisha-6] "Berisha officially declared election winner". Ireland On-Line. 2005-09-01. Archived from the original on 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2009-04-17.

[clients-7] Stuart Stevens' ... Past Clients| Penn Bullock| 29 October 2012| tnr.com| accessed 29.10.2012

[8] Albanische Hefte. 2005. p. 7. ISSN 0930-1437.

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