Government & politics — Albania

the English-language country name seems to be derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Albani; the native name "Shqiperia" is derived from the Albanian word "Shqiponje" ("Eagle") and is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the Eagles"

• history: several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998,
• promulgated 28 November 1998 amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of the Assembly membership; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of the Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2020

• chief of state: P
• resident Bajram BEGAJ (since 24 July 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013); Deputy P
• rime Minister Arben AHMETAJ (since 18 September 2021) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president,
• and approved by the Assembly elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); a candidate needs three-fifths majority vote of the Assembly in 1 of 3 rounds or a simple majority in 2 additional rounds to become president; election last held in 4 rounds on 16, 23, and 30 May and 4 June 2022 (next election to be held in 2027); prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority p
• arty or coalition of parties in the Assembly election results: 2022: Bajram BEGAJ elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 78-4,
• opposition parties boycotted 2017: Ilir META elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 87-2

Description

unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms)

Elections

last held on 25 April 2021 (next to be held in 2025)

Election Results

• percent of vote by party/coalition - PS 48.7%, PD-Alliance for Change 39.4%, LSI 6.8%, PSD 2.3%, other 2.8%
• seats by party/coalition - PS 74, PD-Alliance for Change 59, LSI 4, PSD 3
• composition as of August 2023 - men 90, women 50, percent of women 35.7%

• highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 19 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges,
• including the chairman) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Judicial Council with the consent of the president to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Court chairman is elected for a single 3-year term by the court members; appointments of Constitutional Court judges are rotated among the president, Parliament, and Supreme Court from a list of pre-qualified candidates (each institution selects 3 judges), to serve single 9-year terms; candidates are pre-qualified by a randomly selected body of experienced judges and prosecutors; Constitutional Court chairman is elected by the court members for a single,
• renewable 3-year term subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance;
• specialized courts: Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (responsible for corruption, organized crime, and crimes of high officials)

• Alliance for Change (electoral coalition led by PD)
• Democratic Party or PD [Lulzim BASHA]
• Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (part of the Alliance for Change))
• Social Democratic Party or PSD [Tom DOSHI]
• Freedom Party of Albania or PL [Ilir META] (formerly the Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI)
• Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]

• no citizenship by descent only: at least one pa
• yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO note: Albania is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David WISNER (since August 2023) embassy: Rruga Stavro Vinjau, No. 14, Tirana mailing address: 9510 Tirana Place, Washington DC 20521-9510

telephone

[355] 4 2247-285

FAX

[355] 4 2232-222

Email address and website

• ACSTirana@state.gov
• https://al.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission

Ambassador Ervin BUSHATI (since 15 September 2023)

chancery

2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 223-4942

FAX

[1] (202) 628-7342

Email address and website

• embassy.washington@mfa.gov.al
• http://www.ambasadat.gov.al/usa/en

consulate(s) general

New York