
Today, the political race for the 2025 parliamentary elections officially begins. On the ballots on May 11, citizens will have 11 alternatives, political parties or coalitions.
The Socialist Party aims to get the 4th mandate with the main promise that it will join Albania in the European Union. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has entered into a coalition in the elections, called the Alliance for a Greater Albania. With Sali Berisha at the head, they seek to make the political rotation after 12 years. In this way, Edi Rama and Berisha come to the 3rd chapter of their confrontation.
Also in the challenge are several new parties that present themselves as alternatives to the two traditional political forces that have governed the country.
The Socialist Party will open the campaign today at 5:00 PM from Skanderbeg Square with women. But the official and big opening of the Socialists will be on Saturday at 12:00 PM. Meanwhile, the Democrats have decided today at 7:00 PM to open the campaign at "Mother Teresa" Square with a rally.
Both political forces have promised surprises.
But how did they launch their campaigns in the past elections? We will review how they have operated since 2005 in this article.
The 2005 elections – Nano vs Berisha
In 2005, the elections were held on July 3. The campaign according to the Albanian Electoral Code officially started 1 month before. At that time, the Socialist Party was led by Fatos Nano. The Socialists officially opened the campaign at the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace.
"Don't you dare think that you will come back to take away their freedom, property, life, family and hope. Mr. Berisha, on July 4th you must return to your private life. On July 4th, Mr. Berisha, you must exit the lives of these people," said former Socialist leader Fatos Nano in the campaign whose slogan was "Protect the future."
The current Prime Minister Edi Rama was also the originator of that campaign launch.
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Berisha, then leader of the opposition, continued to hold district-by-district meetings where he introduced MPs. He promised investments in education, health, and increased employment and family well-being.
"I will work to transform your farms into business units every day, to employ you and your children," Berisha told his supporters in 2005.
The DP's slogan was "Time for change".
The 2009 Elections – Berisha vs Rama (Chapter I)
That election year, the Democratic Party was in power. DP Chairman Sali Berisha would have his first confrontation with the current Prime Minister, Edi Rama. The leader of the Democrat Party first presented his candidates.
"The list stands out for a special aspect, the human aspect of the candidates we present," Berisha said, speaking proudly about his list.
Më pas Berisha vijoi me mitingjet e tij duke e hapur zyrtarisht fushatën në Shijak e Kavajë, që konsideroheshin bastione të PD-së.
Edi Ramën e sfidonte që të jepte dorëheqjen nga posti i kryebashkiakut të Tiranës dhe të bëhej pjesë e garës elektorale si lideri i opozitës. Slogani i demokratëve ishte “Shqipëria po ndryshon”.
Për zgjedhjet e 2009-ës, Rama u fut në zgjedhje si kreu i ri i Partisë Socialiste. Pak para nisjes së fushatës zyrtarisht ai prezantoi edhe një këngë bashkë me grupin West Side Family, njëjtë siç kishte bërë kur garonte për zgjedhjet vendore.
“Është një këngë, e cila është pjesë e asaj fryme që tanimë ne e ndjejmë dhe e përçojmë njëkohësisht në të gjithë Shqipërinë frymën e ndryshimit”, shprehej Rama.
Në zgjedhjet e 2009-ës, socialistët e tij e hapën fushatën elektorale nga Qyteti Studenti. “Politikë e re për ndryshimin” ishte slogani i socialistëve që sigurisht shoqërohej në çdo miting me këngën “Çohu”.
Zgjedhjet e vitit 2013 – “Dhondri” i ri, Rama vs Berisha (Kapitulli II)
Në vitin 2013, Berisha vijonte me mënyrën e tij klasike të fushatës. Një muaj para datës së zgjedhjeve ai e nisi fushatë si kryetar i Partisë Demokratike nga Kukësi ku kërkonte votën e qytetarëve.
“Ne jemi ndryshimi! Përpara”, ishte slogani e demokratëve asokohe.
PD në fushatën e vitit 2013
Ndërsa Rama si kryetar i Partisë Socialiste e çeli fushatën me një miting brenda Pallatit të Sportit “Asllan Rusi”. “Rilindja” ishte slogani i selisë rozë.
“E keni bërë pallatin e sportit zemrën e partisë Socialiste. Nga ky pallat sporti po shpërndani në të gjithë Shqipërinë fuqinë e jashtëzakonshme të energjisë pozitive të rilindjes shqiptare”, shprehej Rama ndërsa në sfond në ekranet LED i shfaqeshin disa foto të tij me presidentin amerikan asokohe, Barack Obama.
Organizatorët e kishin konceptuar takimin si një dasmë të madhe tiranase. I pari i listës së Tiranës e prezantoi kryesocialistin Rama si dhëndrin e dasmës.
“Ju premtojmë një “dhondër tirone” për kryeministër”, shprehej Pandeli Majko. Rama pozonte me dajre dhe bashkë me socialistët kërcenin edhe me këngët e vjetra tiranase, por me disa modifikime. Pjesë e tyre ishte edhe ish-ministri Saimir Tahiri.
Zgjedhjet e vitit 2017 – Rama vs Basha (Kapitulli “Çadra”)
Fushata e vitit 2017 ka qenë paksa më specifike. Partia Demokratike, kësaj radhe nën drejtimin e Lulzim Bashës për herë të parë në një fushatë, qëndroi për 90 ditë në atë që u quajt si “Çadra e Lirisë” duke kërkuar qeveri teknike si garanci për zgjedhje të lira dhe të ndershme.
Një marrëveshje mes tij dhe kryeministrit Edi Rama bëri që Presidenti Bujar Nishani të dekretonte një datë tjetër, nga 18 Qershor në 25 Qershor që opozita të futej në zgjedhje.
Duke qenë se marrëveshja mes palëve nuk ishte arritur deri në momentet e fundit, socialistët e Ramës e nisën fushatën me datën e vjetër. Me sloganin “Për Shqipërinë që duam” socialistët kishin zgjedhur enkas që mitingu të zhvillohej në të njëjtën ditë me Ditën e Europës.
Since the elections were postponed to June 25, the DP opened the campaign almost a month in advance, more precisely on May 27. Lulzim Basha started it from where he stayed for 90 days in the tent, demanding the removal of Edi Rama.
"New Republic! Strong Economy, Secure Tomorrow," was the slogan of the Democrats.
"Here in this square, we said that change must start from our homes, and so we have done by bringing the most prominent, most worthy representatives of different communities from the south to the north, bringing prominent people of values, because the New Republic is and will always be a republic of values," Basha said.
2021 Elections – Campaigning in a Time of Pandemic, Rama vs Basha (Chapter II)
In 2021, the DP and the SP launched their campaigns for the April 25 parliamentary elections exactly 1 month earlier, both in the capital. This was a different campaign as it took place while social distancing rules were in place following the Covid pandemic.
The Socialists chose to gather only the candidates for deputies in Skanderbeg Square, seated at a distance from each other and with a scenography that bore the signature of the socialist leader to form the rose petals that are the official logo of the Socialist Party.
Unlike for the Democrats. The strategy they had chosen to have citizens in their cars due to anti-Covid measures did not materialize and the campaign launch turned into a traditional rally with a square full of supporters.
Democratic leader Lulzim Basha was accompanied by his wife and two daughters, while the Democrats' slogan was "Albania wins."/TvKlan
Lini një Përgjigje