“The May 11 elections were competitive” - OSCE-ODIHR final report: External voting was well managed
OSCE-ODIHR has published the final report on the parliamentary elections in Albania held on May 11 of this year.
Referring to the previous preliminary report, the organization notes that the elections were competitive and conducted in a professional manner, but were held in a highly polarized environment and participants did not enjoy a level playing field. However, candidates were generally able to campaign freely, although some reported cases of intimidation.
The election administration managed the process in a comprehensive and transparent manner. Out-of-country voting, introduced for the first time in these elections, was well managed, despite the late political agreement and adoption of this measure, as well as some organizational issues. There were also a significant number of allegations of pressure on voters, especially on public employees. Moreover, the electoral legislation and its narrow interpretation by the election administration did not prevent abusive practices.
The report further emphasizes that the legal framework provides a sufficient basis for the conduct of democratic elections, despite the need for a comprehensive electoral reform with comprehensive public consultations. The shortcomings and ambiguities identified reduce the clarity of the legal framework and create uncertainty in its implementation both in spirit and in practice.
While some of the ODIHR recommendations have been addressed, most previous recommendations, including those related to the composition of lower-level election commissions, interim reporting of campaign finance, and provisions to ensure an appropriate media environment, including the removal of criminal liability for defamation, remain unaddressed, indicating a lack of political will for comprehensive reforms.
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