Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama's Socialist Party (SPA) won a big victory in parliamentary elections, securing him a fourth term, official results show. They were announced late on May 13, AFP reported.

The Socialist Party won 52.1% of the vote, compared to 34.2% for the coalition of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results announced by Albania's Central Election Commission.

Votes from the diaspora have not yet been counted, but preliminary results show Rama leading there as well.

According to forecasts, the Socialist Party could have more seats than in the 2021 elections, when it won 74 seats in the 140-seat parliament.

The elections were dominated by the rivalry between three-time Prime Minister Rama, who focused his campaign on the country's European integration, and the right-wing Berisha of the Democratic Party of Albania.

The two campaigned mainly on economic issues such as pensions, wages, infrastructure, and tourism.

But there were also heated exchanges on the fight against corruption and organized crime, which are considered key requirements for Albania's EU membership bid.

On May 13, the 80-year-old Berisha, Albania's first post-communist president, made allegations of electoral irregularities, accusing the Socialists of pressure, fraud, and vote buying.

"It is impossible to accept such elections. No, forget about it," he said.

Berisha called for protests on May 16, when European leaders will meet in Tirana for the sixth summit of the European Political Community.

The elections were closely monitored by the EU and were seen as a test of democratic maturity for the Balkan country, which is the most European-oriented in the region after decades of dictatorship.

"The elections were generally conducted in an inclusive and transparent manner, with election day passing calmly and in an orderly manner, despite some shortcomings," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Cos said in a joint statement.

On May 13, without waiting for the official results, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni congratulated her friend Rama on his "reappointment as head of the Albanian government."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and his British counterpart Keir Starmer also congratulated Rama on his election victory.

In Sunday's vote (May 11), around 40 parties tried to attract the votes of a total of 3.7 million voters. | BGNES