Albania’s parliamentary election outcome remained uncertain early Monday morning, with broadcasters defying expectations by withholding exit polls, according to Politico.
The contentious race, pivotal to Albania’s EU accession hopes, pits Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party against Sali Berisha’s resurgent Democratic Party, with both sides claiming victory.
No major Albanian broadcaster released exit polls after polls closed on Sunday, despite pre-election pledges. Only Kosovo-based Klan Kosova and pro-government outlet Albanian Post published a survey suggesting a decisive Socialist win (51% to Democrats’ 38%). Analysts like Lutfi Dervishi alleged “pressure” on media to avoid demoralising party monitors during the manual count.
My guess is that political parties in the country could have exercised pressure on the news outlets to not discourage the commissioners participating in the vote-counting process.
The silence marks a stark departure from past elections. Broadcasters instead focused on minor incidents, like a damaged ballot box in Kamëz, while journalists scrambled for answers. Reporters Without Borders noted Albania’s press freedom ranking surpasses neighbours like Greece.
For the first time, Albania’s 1.4-million-strong diaspora—190,000 of whom voted—could sway results. Their inclusion complicates exit polls, which traditionally exclude overseas ballots. The Central Election Commission (CEC) aims to announce preliminary results by Tuesday, but delays emerged even in districts trialling electronic voting.
Berisha urged the CEC to resist “pressure” and ensure “no vote is counted under duress.” Meanwhile, Rama’s Socialists, seeking a record fourth term, face allegations of leveraging state resources to sway undecided voters.
