By Ben Andoni
Edi Rama, the chairman of the Socialist Party, crafts the news himself—shaping not only the headlines but also their entire structure. He launches the campaign, denounces irregularities in the local government apparatus and beyond, points fingers at failures, and forecasts what he plans to do next. Meanwhile, the opposition, through Mr. Berisha, provides—almost daily—the blueprint of what harmed them in the elections, making accusations and emphasizing the use of public administration and the fusion of the ruling party with the state—a phenomenon they themselves once practiced while in power.
When pressed by journalists about the so-called “Basha” article in the party’s statute, Democratic Party leader Berisha has a stock response at the ready: “The statute is fine as it is; there’s no need for changes at the moment. Of course, once we’ve completed our denunciation of the electoral farce both in Albania and abroad, the DP will conduct a full analysis of all the problems, aiming to modernize and open up even more.”
There’s a persistent narrative among DP members: We’re under a regime and must fight against it. That seems to be the recurring refrain. But in reality, the regime post-1990 is democratic—at least nominally. What we’re dealing with today is a hybrid system that has long since drifted from true democracy, as evidenced by how elections are conducted, how power is divided, and how public wealth is allocated—not to mention a mountain of other issues.
It appears that the entire burden of the DP’s loss—and its current reality—has been conveniently placed on Berisha. Not merely as a maneuver to dodge responsibility, but perhaps also to serve the comfort and benefits of a large portion of the party who seem quite content in opposition. Meanwhile, references to any real analysis are absent, and the DP camp seems to be taking the current situation with a remarkable degree of calm—so much so that one is left to wonder: Are they slowly getting used to this state of affairs? Are they, in fact, fine with it?
Shouldn’t they be thinking about reviving a new political project—uniting the fragments and beginning to think seriously about the future, which by all accounts will be full of challenges? No answers there either.
In the meantime, Albania’s progress toward EU integration continues on autopilot. A new negotiation chapter will soon be opened, regardless of election outcomes or Rama’s surprise campaign moves and the opposition’s accusations.
So, should the Democratic Party begin its analysis—or are they simply getting used to losing? That will likely become clear by Autumn. But by then, it wouldn’t be surprising if fresh news stories—wedged in like splinters—strip the DP’s actions of any real weight.
(Originally published in Javanews)