Democratic Party of Albania

The Democratic Party of Albania (Albanian: Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë, PD or PDSH), also known simply as the Democratic Party (Albanian: Partia Demokratike), is a conservative and centre-right political party in Albania. It was founded on 12 December 1990 as Albania's first legal opposition party after the fall of the communist one-party system. The party became one of the two dominant forces in Albanian politics, alongside the Socialist Party of Albania. The party governed Albania from 1992 to 1997 and again from 2005 to 2013 under Sali Berisha, who served as president from 1992 to 1997 and prime minister from 2005 to 2013. It has been the largest opposition party since the 2013 Albanian parliamentary election. The Democratic Party is an associate member of the European People's Party and a member of the International Democracy Union. After the 2021 Albanian parliamentary election, the party was deeply divided between supporters of then-chairman Lulzim Basha and supporters of former party leader Sali Berisha, following the United States' public designation of Berisha for alleged significant corruption and Basha's decision to exclude him from the parliamentary group. In June 2024, the Court of Appeal recognized the Berisha-led faction's claim to the party seal and logo, effectively returning formal control of the party to Berisha. In the 2025 Albanian parliamentary election, the PD-led Alliance for a Magnificent Albania won 50 of the 140 seats; Berisha rejected the result and called for protests. History Foundation and first elections The Democratic Party was founded on 12 December 1990 by anti-communist students, intellectuals and political activists during the collapse of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania. Its early figures included Azem Hajdari, Sali Berisha, Gramoz Pashko, Arben Imami, Eduard Selami, Genc Ruli and other activists involved in the student movement and the first pluralist opposition to the Party of Labour of Albania. It was the first opposition party permitted in Albania after more than four decades of communist rule. In the 1991 Albanian parliamentary election, the first multi-party election since the communist takeover, the Democratic Party came second to the ruling Party of Labour. The party campaigned on political pluralism, market reforms, closer relations with the United States and Western Europe, and the dismantling of the communist system. First period in government, 1992–1997 The Democratic Party won the 1992 Albanian parliamentary election, Albania's first post-communist election that produced a peaceful transfer of power. Berisha was elected president and Aleksandër Meksi became prime minister. The PD-led government introduced rapid market reforms, privatization and Albania's first major steps toward Euro-Atlantic integration. The 1996 Albanian parliamentary election returned the Democratic Party to power, but the vote was criticized by international observers and the opposition amid allegations of fraud, intimidation and an uneven campaign environment. The following year, Albania descended into the 1997 civil unrest after the collapse of widespread pyramid investment schemes. The crisis severely weakened the PD government and led to early elections in June 1997, which the party lost to the Socialist Party. Opposition, 1997–2005 After losing power in 1997, the Democratic Party entered a prolonged period of opposition. In September 1998, Azem Hajdari, one of the party's founders and a prominent opposition figure, was assassinated in Tirana. His killing triggered violent protests and an armed takeover of government buildings by opposition supporters. Berisha accused the Socialist-led government of responsibility, while the government denied involvement. The party also contested the 2001 Albanian parliamentary election, alleging irregularities. The OSCE/ODIHR report found that the elections made progress compared with previous contests but were affected by serious irregularities, including problems in some zones where voting was repeated. Berisha governments, 2005–2013 The Democratic Party returned to power after the 2005 Albanian parliamentary election, leading the Time for Change coalition. Berisha became prime minister for a second time, while the PD governed in coalition with several smaller parties. During this period, Albania joined NATO in 2009 and advanced its relationship with the European Union. The PD won again in the 2009 Albanian parliamentary election and formed a governing coalition with the Socialist Movement for Integration led by Ilir Meta. The coalition gave the PD-led government a working majority in parliament. The Berisha governments were also marked by serious controversies. The 2008 Gërdec explosions at an ammunition dismantling site near Tirana killed 26 people and injured hundreds, becoming one of the worst tragedies in post-communist Albania. On 21 January 2011, four protesters were shot dead by the Republican Guard during an opposition demonstration outside the prime minister's office, deepening the country's political polarization. The Democratic Party lost the 2013 Albanian parliamentary election to the Socialist-led coalition. Berisha resigned as party chairman, and Lulzim Basha was elected leader in July 2013 after defeating Sokol Olldashi in the party's internal vote. Opposition under Lulzim Basha, 2013–2021 Under Basha, the Democratic Party remained in opposition after losing the 2017 Albanian parliamentary election. In February 2017, the party and allied opposition groups launched a protest camp outside the prime minister's office, demanding a caretaker government and guarantees for free elections. A political agreement reached before the election allowed the opposition to participate, but the Socialists won a parliamentary majority. In 2019, the Democratic Party and other opposition parties resigned their parliamentary mandates and boycotted the 2019 Albanian local elections, arguing that elections under Prime Minister Edi Rama could not be free and fair. The decision left the Socialists to contest most municipalities with little or no opposition and was criticized by international partners as damaging to institutional democracy. The Democratic Party entered the 2021 Albanian parliamentary election as the main force of the Democratic Party – Alliance for Change. It increased its representation compared with 2017, but failed to defeat the Socialist Party, which secured a third consecutive term. The result intensified internal criticism of Basha's leadership. Party split, leadership dispute and Berisha's return, 2021–2024 U.S. designation and exclusion of Berisha On 19 May 2021, the United States Department of State publicly designated Sali Berisha, his wife and his children as ineligible to enter the United States, alleging that Berisha had been involved in significant corruption, including misappropriation of public funds and interference in public processes for personal and political benefit. Berisha denied the allegations. In September 2021, party chairman Lulzim Basha excluded Berisha from the Democratic Party's parliamentary group, citing the U.S. designation. The decision triggered an internal conflict between Basha's leadership and Berisha's supporters. Re-establishment movement and rival leadership claims In December 2021, Berisha's supporters convened a party assembly at Arena Kombëtare, known as the Re-establishment movement, and voted to remove Basha and the party leadership. Basha rejected the assembly's decisions, and competing factions continued to claim control of the party. The dispute weakened the party's position as the main opposition force. Freedom House described the fragmentation as leaving it unclear who ran the main opposition party and weakening the opposition's ability to challenge the Socialist government. 8 January 2022 headquarters clash On 8 January 2022, the internal dispute escalated into violent clashes at the Democratic Party headquarters in Tirana. Supporters of Berisha attempted to enter the building, which was controlled by Basha's leadership, after Berisha's faction had called a protest to take over the headquarters following its December assembly and vote to remove Basha. Police used tear gas and water cannon after protesters entered parts of the building and attempted to breach newly installed security doors. At least one police officer and one protester were injured, and authorities detained protesters and party staff members after the clash. The European Union delegation and U.S. ambassador Yuri Kim condemned the use of force and called for calm. Resignation of Basha and legal dispute over the party symbols After poor results in partial local elections in March 2022, Basha resigned as chairman, while Enkelejd Alibeaj and Berisha's faction continued to contest the legal leadership of the party. On 11 June 2024, the Court of Appeal rejected Alibeaj's appeal and upheld a decision recognizing the 11 December 2021 assembly of the Berisha-led re-establishment faction, giving the party's seal and logo to Berisha. The ruling largely ended the legal dispute over the party's official symbols, although political tensions inside the opposition continued. Berisha's legal proceedings During the same period, Berisha faced legal proceedings in Albania. In December 2023, a court placed him under house arrest in connection with a corruption investigation related to decisions taken during his time as prime minister; he denied wrongdoing and called the case politically motivated. In September 2024, prosecutors indicted Berisha on corruption charges connected to a property deal allegedly benefiting his son-in-law; Berisha again denied the allegations and accused Prime Minister Edi Rama of orchestrating a political vendetta, which Rama denied. In November 2024, the Special Court released Berisha from house arrest while the case continued. 2025 election and renewed opposition protests The Democratic Party contested the 2025 Albanian parliamentary election as the leading force in the Alliance for a Magnificent Albania under Berisha's leadership. According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Socialist Party won 83 seats while the PD-led alliance won 50 seats. The IPU reported that Berisha rejected the results and called for protests. Reuters reported that, with most ballots counted, the Socialists had about 52 percent of the vote and the Democratic Party about 34 percent, while the opposition claimed the vote had been stolen. International observers described the 2025 election as competitive and professionally managed, but said that contestants did not enjoy a level playing field. The OSCE/ODIHR cited reports of intimidation, misuse of public resources, pressure on public employees and other problems that undermined equal opportunities. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe also noted that the elections took place in a highly polarized political environment, with opposition parties criticizing the government over corruption, living standards and democratic backsliding. After the election, the Democratic Party continued anti-government actions in parliament and in the streets. In late 2025 and early 2026, opposition protests intensified following corruption allegations against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku. Reuters reported that Democratic Party supporters demanded Rama's resignation and chanted slogans such as "Rama, go away" and "Rama in jail", while Balluku denied wrongdoing. In February 2026, Rama dismissed Balluku amid the corruption investigation and a broader cabinet reshuffle. In June 2026, Berisha said the United States had lifted its travel ban on him and his family. Reuters reported that a U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed that waivers had been issued for several designations under section 7031(c) because the waivers served a compelling national interest, but did not name the people who received them. On 7 July 2026, in an interview with Truth Times, opposition leader Sali Berisha described the Flamingo demonstrations as "the most important movement of the last 35 years", comparing them to the movement that overthrew Albania's communist regime in the early 1990s. He said the Democratic Party supported the protests but would not seek to lead them, called for Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation and the formation of a non-partisan caretaker government, rejected the government's claims of foreign involvement in the demonstrations, and alleged that authorities had attempted to portray the protests as antisemitic while insisting the movement was "not, and is not, antisemitic". Ideology The Democratic Party is generally described as a centre-right and conservative party. It has also been described as holding liberal-conservative views, while parts of the party and its electorate have been associated with national-conservative positions. Historically, the Democratic Party was strongly anti-communist and campaigned for Albania's transition to a market economy, private property, political pluralism and closer alignment with the United States and Western Europe. The party supports Albania's membership in NATO and the country's accession to the European Union. Under Berisha's renewed leadership after 2022, the party has combined pro-European and pro-NATO positions with a stronger emphasis on anti-corruption rhetoric, national sovereignty, lower taxes, support for small business, and opposition to what it describes as state capture by the Socialist Party. The party has also adopted more populist campaign language, including the 2025 coalition slogan "Make Albania Great". Organisation Headquarters and media The party's headquarters are located on Bulevardi Zhan D'Ark in Tirana, near the Albanian Parliament. Its traditional newspaper and media organ is Rilindja Demokratike. Logos The Democratic Party has used several blue-themed logos since its foundation, reflecting its identification with the political right and with anti-communist opposition. Election results Parliamentary elections Party chairs Timeline See also Politics of Albania Elections in Albania Alliance for a Magnificent Albania 2025–2026 Albanian opposition protests Notes References External links Official website (in Albanian)