What did the parties promise in the campaign? - From increasing salaries and pensions, to reducing taxes!
The May 11 vote will determine which political party will lead the country for the next 4 years, as each of them has presented electoral programs, an important innovation compared to past elections. From increasing salaries and pensions, to reducing taxes, economic promises have been numerous, although none of the political entities presented a complete and clear bill for their realization.
PS: Minimum wage of 500 euros and fiscal peace for businesses
The Socialist Party, which aims to win a fourth term after 12 years in power, has not planned to change income taxation, sticking to the progressive taxation of 0-23%, while promising to increase salaries and pensions. The average salary in the public sector is promised to go to at least 1200 euros in Albania by 2030, while the average salary including the private sector will be at least 1 thousand euros. For doctors, the ambition for an average salary of 2000 euros has been presented, while for teachers 1250 euros.
Also, the SP program foresees that starting from January 2026, the minimum wage will be 500 euros. To compensate for the increase in costs for enterprises, the facility is promised that during the 18 months after the first salary they will not have any tax liability on the additional 100 euros.
Also, the SP's ambition is that in 2030, the average pension will be 400 euros for all those who have paid full insurance and for all others, there will be a minimum pension that is intended to go to 200 euros. Unlike the increase in the minimum wage, the program does not foresee a specific year for the increase in pensions.
For the Socialist Party, Albania will continue to have zero taxes for small businesses until 2029. The 15% tax regime for large businesses will also remain unchanged, but fiscal peace is promised for the fourth mandate, according to which, for a 3-year period, for any additional profit that a business declares above the economic growth rate, only 5% will be taxed.
In support of business, the mobilization of 2 billion euros in loans and guarantees through the Bank of Albania and the Development Bank is also promised, with the aim of increasing domestic production.
DP: Flat tax of 10% and establishment of a living wage of 200 euros
The electoral program of the Democratic Party and the "Alliance for a Greater Albania" coalition focuses on economic, social and institutional reforms, with the aim of restoring citizens' trust and building a functional and just state.
The DP is committed to establishing a clear living wage scheme of 200 euros per month for citizens, which aims to guarantee a basic standard of living for the poorest. It also promises a 20% increase in pensions during the first 100 days of government.
Within the first 100 days, it has also been promised to increase the minimum wage to 500 euros and the average wage to 1200 euros. Another commitment of the DP is a salary of no less than 1500 euros for teachers.
An immediate impact on the increase in salaries, according to this political force, will be the change in the taxation of personal income, restoring the flat tax of 10%, with the exception of the first 50 thousand lek for which the tax will be "zero". For other non-salary income, the tax is also promised at 10%. Also, zero taxation is promised on freelancers and small businesses.
Part of the first 100-day intervention through the Compassion Package is the reduction in the price of electricity to 7 lek/kWh.
In addition to the personal income tax, the DP envisages a reduction in the property sales tax from the current 15% to 2%, as well as a reduction in fuel prices through the abolition of taxes.
Reducing VAT from 20% to 15% is also a commitment of this political force.
In parallel, in the entrepreneurship program, there are several categories that will receive special treatment, such as youth, women and the diaspora. Part of the Program are also housing and fertility policies for young couples, under the name "A roof for every couple."
To compensate for the tax cuts, a reduction in informality in the economy to 30% is promised.
Albania: No pensions below 20 thousand lekë
For the Albania Becomes party, part of the "Albania Becomes Initiative" coalition led by Adriatik Lapaj, every pension, economic assistance, orphans' payment, or disability payment will not be less than 20,000 lek per month.
Likewise, pensions of all categories that are below 20,000 lek will increase by this amount, while pensions that are currently over 20,000 lek will increase by 2,500 lek per year for the 4 years of governance.
Regarding fiscal policy, the government of this party will be based on a flat 10% taxation, while for two or more employees there will be no multiple taxation. The tax will be 10% of the total from all sources of income.
Also, small businesses with a turnover of 0 - 20,000,000 lek will have "zero" tax on profits. VAT will be paid by everyone, for all products, but up to 10% of it will be returned to citizens at the end of the year.
Another point of this party's program is "My Home, My Homeland", which will be available only once in a lifetime to every citizen who is getting married for the first time. This program will provide the opportunity to obtain 100% credit for the purchase of an apartment with an area of up to 80 m2 for young couples with a fixed interest rate of 1%, without the need to place collateral.
TOGETHER Movement: Minimum wage 60 thousand lek, progressive taxation 0 - 35%
The economic program of the Together Movement party, led by Arlind Qorri, foresees the establishment of a living wage, an increase in pensions, a change in personal income tax, and an increase in dividends.
The minimum living wage of this party is proposed at 21,168 lekë, suggesting an increase in pensions and other payments to this amount. The increase in other pensions, which are currently above the minimum living wage, will be made to a lesser extent, following the logic of the increase in the average wage and prices.
The average pension level is promised at 33 thousand lek.
The taxation on salaries for the Joint Movement will be progressive, from 0 – 35%. According to the proposed scheme, salaries up to 60 thousand lekë, which is also the value of the proposed minimum wage, are exempt from tax; from 100 001 - 200 thousand lekë, the tax will be 15%; from 200 001 - 400 000 lekë, the tax will be 25%, while from 400 001 and above the personal income tax is proposed at 35%.
To increase income from contributions, it is proposed to remove the maximum salary ceiling for contribution effects. This party also foresees an increase in dividends from 8%, which is currently 15%, as well as progressive taxation of third, fourth and subsequent apartments.
Party Opportunity: Flat tax 8%
The economic program of the "Mundësia" party led by Agron Shehaj promises to reduce taxes and apply a flat tax at the level of 8% for income taxation.
The opportunity also aims to provide soft loans for housing and small businesses for young people under 30, subsidies for freelancers and startups, and internships for students. It also promises to increase the health budget, strategic collaborations with the private sector in this sector, and support for private health insurance. This party proposes adopting the euro as the currency, instead of the lek.
Euro-Atlantic Coalition: Minimum pension 25 thousand lek
The main commitments of Lulzim Basha's Euro-Atlantic Coalition are related to supporting young families, as well as increasing pensions. This party proposes increasing the minimum pension to 25 thousand lek, energy compensation for pensions below 30 thousand lek, and full reimbursement of medicines for the elderly.
The average pension is expected to reach 450 euros within the government's mandate. It also provides for 2,000 euros in support for the first and second child and 20,000 euros for families that give birth to a third child. Another point of the program is the establishment of special pensions for former political prisoners.
This party's program provides for flat taxation, at the level of 9%, while for businesses with turnover of up to 14 million lek, it promises zero tax.
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