This archive report was first published on 30 June 2019.
Albania is on the brink of a democratic crisis as it prepares to hold municipal polls on June 30, 2019. The opposition has refused to participate in the vote, citing Prime Minister Edi Rama's alleged ties to crime and his manipulation of elections.
President Ilir Meta had initially announced the cancellation of the polls due to the unrest, but Rama and election authorities have decided to proceed with the voting despite the opposition's boycott.
Analysts warn that the aftermath of the election is likely to be messy and could further intensify the crisis. 'The political crisis has not yet reached its peak,' said Lutfi Dervishi, a media expert at the Media Institute in Tirana.
Western powers have called for calm, with the US embassy and EU delegation warning against any violence or obstruction of voting. The Organization for Security and Co-operating in Europe (OSCE) has also urged restraint, stating that any attempt to derail the democratic process would harm Albania's image and reputation.
The polls will take place in 61 municipalities across the country, with opposition mayors controlling slightly under half of the municipalities. Some 7,000 police will be deployed to monitor the process.
Albania's struggle to establish a healthy democracy has been ongoing since the fall of its communist dictatorship in 1991. The country has faced challenges such as extreme partisanship, corruption, and vote buying, which have eroded public trust in politics.
