Freedom Party of Albania

Albanian political party

The Freedom Party (Albanian: Partia e Lirisë, PL), formerly known as the Socialist Movement for Integration (Albanian: Lëvizja Socialiste për Integrim, LSI), is a social democratic political party in Albania.[4] The party was formed on 6 September 2004, when Ilir Meta defected from the Socialist Party of Albania (PS).[7][8][9] A proposal to change its logo, name and other symbols was unanimously approved at the party's National Convention (Congress) on 25 July 2022.

Through the use of the term "movement", the party attempted to give the message that it is open and inclusive. The other reason for using this term was its intention to differentiate itself from the other parties.[10] It employed the one member, one vote system in March 2005 to elect its leader, Ilir Meta.[10]

Elections

At the 2005 parliamentary election the party won five seats in the Albanian Parliament with 8.4% of the vote.[3] The party was mostly supported by the Albanian youth at the 2005 elections.[11] At the 2009 parliamentary election it won four seats with 4.8% of the vote.[8] The party along with PSV91 became the determining parties to form the government coalition.[12] In June 2009 the PL allied with the centre-right Democratic Party of Albania (PD) to form the government coalition.[8][13]

PL successfully increased its share of the vote in the 2013 parliamentary election, winning 16 seats with 10.4% of the vote.[3]

Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Rank Government
2005 Ilir Meta 112,449 8.24
5 / 140
 New 5th Opposition
2009 73,678 4.85
4 / 140
 Decrease 1 Increase 3rd Coalition[a]
2013 180,470 10.46
16 / 140
 Increase 12 Steady 3rd Coalition
2017 Petrit Vasili 225,901 14.28
19 / 140
 Increase 3 Steady 3rd Opposition
2021 Monika Kryemadhi 107,521 6.81
4 / 140
 Decrease 15 Steady 3rd Opposition


Leader of the Party

Ilir Meta founded the party and remained Leader of the Party until 30 April 2017. On 28 April 2017 he was elected the 7th President of Albania and left the Party. Petrit Vasili, a prominent figure inside the party served as the party leader, until 29 June, resigning after the election results. Monika Kryemadhi, Meta's wife, was then voted in as party leader. Although she is the spouse of then-President Meta, she refused to take the honorific position of the First Lady of Albania, conceding the post to her oldest daughter.[14] On 25 July 2022, Meta returned to the party as leader after his presidency had ended. Subsequently, the party's name was changed to the Freedom Party.[15]

# Chairman Born–Died Term start Term end Time in office
1 Ilir Meta 1969– 6 September 2004 5 May 2017 12 years, 241 days
2 Petrit Vasili 1958– 5 May 2017 5 July 2017 61 days
3 Monika Kryemadhi 1974– 5 July 2017 25 July 2022 5 years, 20 days
(1) Ilir Meta 1969– 25 July 2022 Incumbent 1 year, 277 days

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "European Election Watch Albania". Center for Strategic and International Studies. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  2. ^ Robert Elsie (2010) Historical Dictionary of Albania, Scarecrow Press, pxlvii
  3. ^ a b c Tom Lansford (8 April 2014). Political Handbook of the World 2014. SAGE Publications. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-4833-3327-4.
  4. ^ a b Nordsieck, Wolfram (2017). "Albania". Parties and Elections in Europe.
  5. ^ "The Albanian Electoral Systems since 1990" (PDF). Albanian Elections Observatory Brief (1). 19 April 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Albania | Center for Strategic and International Studies". Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  7. ^ Michaela Salamun; Zaim Hallunaj. "European integration, party governance and electoral system in Albania" (Working Paper). Center for Southeast Europe. Retrieved 6 September 2012.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ a b c Robert Elsie (2010). Historical Dictionary of Albania. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 422. ISBN 978-0-8108-6188-6.
  9. ^ "Leftist Parties of Albania". Broad Left. Archived from the original on 22 July 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  10. ^ a b Blendi Kajsiu (2005). F. Stiftung; G. Karasimeonov (eds.). Organizational Structures and Internal Party Democracy in South Eastern Europe (PDF). Sofia: Gorex Press. pp. 142–165. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  11. ^ Jano, Dorian (2008). "On Parties and Party System in Albania: What implications for democracy" (PDF). Central-European Intensive Ccurse. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  12. ^ "Election campaign with the taste of blood". International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies. 24 June 2009. Retrieved 6 September 2012.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ Marc Stegherr; Kerstin Liesem (13 August 2010). Die Medien in Osteuropa: Mediensysteme Im Transformationsprozess. Springer-Verlag. p. 159. ISBN 978-3-531-92487-8.
  14. ^ "Shqiptarja.com - Dorėhiqet Vasili: Kryemadhi kandidate pėr kryetare tė LSI". Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  15. ^ "Albania's ex-president takes over his old political party". ABC News. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  1. ^ Left the Berisha II Government on April 23 2013

External links

  • Official website
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