Socialist Party of Albania

The Socialist Party of Albania (Albanian: Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë, PS or PSSh), is a social-democratic[3][4] political party in Albania; it gained power following the 2013 parliamentary election. The party seated 66 MPs in the 2009 Albanian parliament (out of a total of 140).[14] It achieved power in 1997 following a political crisis and governmental realignment. At the 2001 parliamentary election the party secured 73 seats, which enabled it to form a government. At the general election of 3 July 2005, the Socialist Party lost its majority and the Democratic Party of Albania (PD) formed the new government, having secured, with its allies, a majority of 81 seats.

Socialist Party of Albania

Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë
ChairmanEdi Rama
Leader of the Parliamentary GroupTaulant Balla
Founded13 June 1991[1]
Preceded byParty of Labour of Albania
HeadquartersSheshi Austria 4, 1001 Tirana, Albania
NewspaperZëri i Popullit
Youth wingEuro-Socialist Youth Forum (Albanian: Forumi i Rinisë Eurosocialiste të Shqipërisë (FRESSH)) or Socialist Youth/Young Socialists
Membership (2017)81,000 [2]
IdeologySocial democracy[3][4]
Pro-Europeanism[5]
Political positionCentre-left[6][7][8] to left-wing[9][10][11]
European affiliationParty of European Socialists (associate)
International affiliationSocialist International[12]
Colors  Purple[13]
SloganPër Shqipërinë që duam
For the Albania that we want
National Assembly
75 / 140
Municipality
59 / 61
Website
http://www.ps.al/

The Socialist Party of Albania is an associate of the Party of European Socialists (PES)[15] and a member of the Socialist International. The official party newspaper is Zëri i Popullit, which had been the organ of its predecessor, the Communist Party of Labour of Albania.

History
Socialist Party Headquarters in Tirana

The party, formed in November 1941, has been known as the Socialist Party since 1991, when it survived in the wake of the dramatic changes that had taken place in Albania since 1989. The Communist Party of Labour of Albania (PPSh), the only ruling party since the end of World War II, was the most rigid Stalinist party in Europe under its founder and longtime leader, Enver Hoxha. However, Hoxha's successor, Ramiz Alia, was forced to introduce limited reforms in the late 1980s. Finally, on 11 December 1990, Alia announced that the PPSh had given up its monopoly of power.

The PPSh won the Constitutional Assembly elections of March 1991—the first free elections held in the country in almost 80 years. By this time, however, it was no longer a Marxist–Leninist party. At an extraordinary congress on 10–13 June 1991, in its efforts to survive in the new system, the PPSh voted to change its name to PS.[16]

Old party logo

Fatos Nano, a man from the intelligentsia, was elected the new chairman.[17] Nano helped to reform the old communist party and made it a member of the Socialist International. On 1 September 2005 Nano resigned as the chairman of the Socialist Party, after losing the elections. He was succeeded by Edi Rama.

Politicians

Fatos Nano was the head of Socialist Party of Albania from 1991–2005. In 2005, after a defeat at the election, he resigned from his post. PS's current leader is Edi Rama, former Mayor of Tirana.[18] Gramoz Ruçi, who was Interior Minister of the last cabinet of the communist government and is well known for his loyalty to the party, is the head of the Socialist Group, which has 64 MPs. Ben Blushi is a very important party politician that has strongly criticised the way Edi Rama is leading the Socialist Party. Niko Peleshi was the mayor of Korce and then the Deputy Prime Minister.[19] Vice-coordinators of the group are Erjon Braçe, Vasilika Hysi, Saimir Tahiri, Eduard Shalsi and Taulant Balla. Arta Dade is the party secretary for international affairs, and she is assisted by Arben Ahmetaj, Taulant Balla, Olta Xhaçka, Ditmir Bushati and Qemal Minxhozi. Ahmetaj and Balla usually deal with PS relationships with the other left-wing parties in Europe, especially with the Greek Panhellenic Socialist Movement, with whom PS is very close. Blendi Klosi (former Culture Minister and PS organizational secretary), is also seen as a very important politician in PS, as well as Fatmir Xhafaj (lawyer and former Justice Minister).

Political positions

The party has pledged in its 2013 party platform to replace the flat-rate personal income tax with more progressive taxation.[20] The party also supports universal health care funded by taxation.[21] The party leader Edi Rama has indicated that he supports LGBT rights and domestic partnerships.[22]

Election results
Election Votes % Seats +/– Position Government
1992 433,602 23.70%
38 / 140
 2nd Opposition
1996 335,402 20.40%
10 / 140
 28 2nd Opposition
1997 413,369 31.60%
101 / 155
 91 1st Majority
2001 555,272 41.40%
73 / 140
 28 1st Majority
2005 538,906 39.40%
42 / 140
 31 2nd Opposition
2009 620,586 40.90%
65 / 140
 23 1st[23] Opposition
2013 713,407 41.36%
65 / 140
 1st Coalition
2017 764,761 48.19%
74 / 140
 9 1st Majority

See also

References

Notes

  1. Robert Elsie (2010) Historical Dictionary of Albania, Scarecrow Press, p422
  2. "Sot referendumi i PS, 81 mijë socialistë votojnë për kryetarin". Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  3. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2017). "Albania". Parties and Elections in Europe.
  4. Hans Slomp (2011). Europe, a Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics. ABC-CLIO. p. 605. ISBN 978-0-313-39181-1.
  5. "The Albanian Electoral Systems since 1990" (PDF). Albanian Elections Observatory Brief (1). 19 April 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  6. "Albania opposition protests again, calls for new election". CityNews Vancouver. 2 June 2019. The centre-right Democratic Party-led opposition supporters gathered Sunday at the main government building accusing centre-left Socialist Party Prime Minister Edi Rama of corruption and links to organized crime.
  7. "Albania protests: Smoke bombs and firecrackers thrown at police as demonstrations turn violent". The Independent. 3 June 2019. Prime Minister Edi Rama has faced repeated calls to stand down in recent months over claims that his centre-left Socialist Party is corrupt and has links to organised crime.
  8. "Will the Presence of Iran's MEK Threaten Albania's Already Shaky Stability?". World Politics Review. 18 July 2019. Rama’s center-left Socialist Party holds a majority in Parliament, while the opposition is made up of parties to his left and right.
  9. "AP Interview: Albania PM says opposition ruining EU chances". Associated Press. 22 June 2019. Edi Rama, also leader of the ruling left-wing Socialist Party, also told The Associated Press in an interview Friday he was determined the June 30 municipal elections would be held despite opposition unrest since mid-February.
  10. "Albanian Socialists Pledge Reforms, Jobs After Election Win Confirmed". Voice of America. 27 July 2017. Albania's left-wing Socialist Party appears headed for a new governing mandate.
  11. "Socialists win majority in Albania general election". Independent.ie. 27 June 2017. Albania's left-wing Socialist Party has secured a second mandate in a general election, winning a majority of seats in parliament, nearly complete results showed on Tuesday.
  12. "Full list of member parties and organisations". Socialist International. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  13. Socialist Party website http://ps.al/new/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. "Kuvendi Shqiperise". Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  15. "Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë". Party of European Socialists. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  16. Elsie, pxliii
  17. Nano, Rexhina. "Te jetosh kohen", pp. 230.
  18. Socialist Party of Albania Leadership Archived 2013-02-06 at the Wayback Machine
  19. "Blushi calls it madness: Rama wants a permanent term". Albeu. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  20. "TAKSIM I NDERSHËM - Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë". Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  21. "KUJDES SHËNDETËSOR UNIVERSAL - Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë". Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  22. "Rama pret përfaqësuesit e LGBT: Po bashkëjetesës, por jo martesave". www.panorama.com.al (in Albanian). Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  23. "National results of the 2009 parliamentary election (party list)" (PDF). ShtetiWeb.org.
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