TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania's local elections on Sunday are taking on more importance than usual as a test of democracy in the ex-communist state that hopes to start membership negotiations...
Supporters of prime minister Edi Rama wave Albanian flags during the last election rally in Vlora, southern Albania, Friday, June 28, 2019. Albania's municipal elections don't normally provoke much interest beyond the country's border, but the holding of this weekend's vote — or failure to do so — appears decisive for the tiny Western Balkan country in its bid to start full membership negotiations with the European Union.
Holding a free and fair election has been post-communist Albania’s Achilles’ heel, but it is considered key for the launch of EU membership talks for the nation of 2.9 million, which already belongs to NATO.About 3.5 million Albanians are eligible to elect mayors and town hall councils, or parliaments to run 61 districts for the next four years.
The opposition, led by Lulzim Basha, put the blame on the government, and says the political crisis will be solved when Rama resigns and vote-riggers are jailed. The ruling Socialists are the only candidates in 35 out of 61 districts, with some smaller leftist and center-right parties running against them in the others.
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