The Council of Ministers () is the principal executive organ of the Albanian government. The Council is led by the Prime Minister of Albania and includes 17 other ministers, nominated by the Prime Minister and confirmed by the Albanian parliament. The Council is responsible for carrying out both foreign and domestic policies. It directs and controls the activities of the ministries its members lead as well as other executive state bodies.
The Prime Minister is nominated by the President of Albania based on the proposal of the majority party or coalition in the parliament. The nominee must then secure a vote of confidence in parliament to be appointed. If the parliament does not have confidence in the nominee, the President presents another within 10 days. Once appointed, the Prime Minister presents his policy program and proposed cabinet before the Parliament where the government, as a whole, is confirmed.
The Deputy Prime Minister takes over the functions of the prime minister in his absence.
Overview Rank Council members are subdivided into three substantial ranks, along with one honorary rank: Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, which are the highest-ranking members of the Government Deputy Ministers, that assist ministers in specialized areas of their portfolio and General Secretaries (Sekretari i Përgjithshëm) that assist ministers in less important areas and occasionally attend sessions of the Council of Ministers.
Role The Council is responsible to the Parliament of Albania. The Parliament can pass a motion of no confidence or refuse to pass a motion of confidence, forcing the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers to resign. This has the effect of forcing the Government to be composed of members from the majority political party in the Assembly or to be allied to the majority in a coalition.
Ministers are required to answer written or oral questions put to them by members of Parliament. In addition, ministers attend sessions of the Parliament when laws concerning their departmental portfolios are under consideration. While neither ministers nor the Prime Minister are required to be members of parliament, many often are.
The Council of Ministers can propose bills to Parliament. These government proposals very rarely fail, given the government should, theoretically, always enjoy the confidence of parliament and therefore have a majority for any legislation it would like to pass.
The Council can also unilaterally release binding secondary legislation, known as Decisions of the Council of Ministers (), based on the powers granted to it in primary legislation passed by Parliament.
History With the unilateral declaration of Albania's Independence on 28 November 1912 by the Ottoman Empire, one of the first governing bodies to emerge from the All-Albanian Congress was the formation of the Provisional Government and the Council of Ministers as the highest executive body in the country. However, the government did not last long due to its non-recognition by some of the Great Powers of the time. On 29 July 1913, Austria-Hungary, France, Great Britain, and Italy, together with Greece and Romania as interested parties, agreed to adopt the Organic Statute of Albania () which would serve as the first constitution of the new state created. The statute sanctioned since in the 1st Article that Albania was a constitutional, sovereign, and hereditary Principality under the guarantee of the six Great Powers. Its formal adoption took place in Vlorë on 14 January 1914. On 22 January 1914, Ismail Qemali, one of the founders of the Albanian state and head of the Provisional Government, was forced to resign and hand it over to the International Control Commission () which would serve as the highest executive body until the appointment of the monarch from the Great Powers and his arrival in Albania.
The Statute in Chapter V entitled § Government Bodies sanctioned the central government institutions, as well as their competencies and duties. Article 72 states: The Albanian Government consists of a Council of Ministers headed by a prime minister. While in the next article it described the composition of the council, where there are a total of 4 ministries, which are: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Finances and the Ministry of Justice, while the prime minister simultaneously exercised also the role of Minister of Foreign Affairs. The PM, as well as all ministers were appointed by the Prince, whose oath before taking office should be taken, as well as the handover of office after resignation. Although the statute sanctioned only 4 ministries, in the first government appointed by Prince Wilhelm, there were more departments than anticipated.
Incumbent Government
Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party Prime Minister Edi Rama 12 September 2025 Incumbent PS Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku 12 September 2025 20 November 2025 (Suspended) PS Albana Koçiu 26 February 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Economy and Innovation Delina Ibrahimaj 12 September 2025 Incumbent PS Ministry of Finance Petrit Malaj 12 September 2025 Incumbent PS Ministry of Internal Affairs Albana Koçiu 19 September 2025 26 February 2026 PS Besfort Lamallari 6 March 2026 11 September 2026 Ervin Demo 11 September 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Defence Pirro Vengu 30 July 2024 26 February 2026 PS Ermal Nufi 6 March 2026 Incumbent Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs Elisa Spiropali 19 September 2025 26 February 2026 PS Ferit Hoxha 26 February 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Justice Besfort Lamallari 19 September 2025 6 March 2026 PS Toni Gogu 6 March 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku 17 January 2019 6 March 2026 PS Enea Karakaçi 6 March 2026 Incumbent Ministry of Education Mirela Kumbaro Furxhi 12 September 2025 Incumbent PS Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Andis Salla 12 September 2025 Incumbent PS Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Evis Sala 19 September 2025 3 September 2026 PS Klodiana Spahiu 3 September 2026 Incumbent Ministry of State for Relations with Parliament Toni Gogu 19 September 2025 6 March 2026 PS Erjona Ismaili 6 March 2026 Incumbent Ministry of State and Chief Negotiator Majlinda Dhuka 12 September 2025 Incumbent PS Ministry of State for Local Government(Abolished in September 2026 and merged into the Ministry of Internal Affairs) Ervin Demo 19 September 2025 11 September 2026 PS Ministry of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption Adea Pirdeni 12 September 2025 Incumbent PS Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja 12 September 2025 Incumbent PS Ministry of Environment Sofjan Jaupaj 12 September 2025 Incumbent PS Ministry of State for Artificial Intelligence None (powered by Diella) 12 September 2025 Incumbent None (AI)
Source: Kryeministria
Governments of Albania (1912–present) No. GovernmentMandate Days1stProvisional Government4 December 1912 22 January 1914–International Control Commission22 January 191417 March 19142ndPërmeti I Government17 March 1914 3 September 19143rdToptani Government5 October 191427 January 1916–vacant23 January 191630 October 19184thGovernment of Durrës25 December 1918 29 January 19205thDelvina Government30 January 1920 14 November 19206thVrioni I Government19 November 1920 1 July 19217thVrioni II Government11 July 192111 October 19218thSacred Union Government16 October 1921 6 December 19219thKoculi Government6 December 1921 6 December 192110thPrishtina Government7 December 1921 12 December 192111thKosturi Government12 December 1921 24 December 192112thYpi Government24 December 1921 2 December 192213thZogu I Government2 December 1922 25 February 192414thVërlaci I Government3 March 1924 27 May 192415thVrioni III Government30 May 1924 10 June 192416thNoli Government16 June 1924 24 December 192417thZogu II Government6 January 1925 31 January 192518thZogu III Government1 February 192523 September 192519thZogu IV Government28 September 192510 February 192720thZogu V Government12 February 192720 October 192721stZogu VI Government24 October 1927 10 May 192822ndZogu VII Government11 May 19281 September 192823rdKotta I Government5 September 1928 5 March 193024thEvangjeli II Government6 March 193011 April 193125thEvangjeli III Government20 April 19317 December 193226thEvangjeli IV Government11 January 193316 October 193527thFrashëri Government21 October 19357 November 193628thKotta II Government9 November 19367 April 1939–Interim Administrative Committee8 April 193912 April 193929thVërlaci II Government12 April 19393 December 194130thMerlika-Kruja Government3 December 19414 January 194331stLibohova I Government18 January 194311 February 194332ndBushati Government12 February 194328 April 194333rdLibohova II Government11 May 194312 September 1943–Interim Executive Committee14 September 19434 November 194334thMitrovica Government5 November 194316 June 194435thDine Government18 July 194428 August 194436thBiçaku Government6 September 194425 October 194437thDemocratic Government of Albania23 October 194421 March 194638thHoxha II Government22 March 19464 July 195039thHoxha III Government5 July 195019 July 195440thShehu I Government20 July 195421 June 195841stShehu II Government22 June 195816 July 196242ndShehu III Government17 July 196213 September 196643rdShehu IV Government14 September 196618 November 197044thShehu V Government19 November 197028 October 197445thShehu VI Government28 October 197426 December 197846thShehu VII Government27 December 197818 December 198147thÇarçani I Government15 January 198223 November 198248thÇarçani II Government23 November 198219 February 198749thÇarçani III Government20 February 198721 February 199150thNano I Government22 February 199111 May 199151stNano II Government11 May 199112 June 199152ndGovernment of Stability12 June 19916 December 199153rdTechnical Government18 December 199113 April 199254thMeksi I Government13 April 199210 July 199655thMeksi II Government11 July 19961 March 199756thGovernment of National Reconciliation12 March 199724 July 199757thNano III Government25 July 199728 September 199858thMajko I Government2 October 199825 October 199959thMeta I Government28 October 19996 September 200160thMeta II Government6 September 200129 January 200261stMajko II Government22 February 200225 July 200262ndNano IV Government29 July 200210 September 200563rdBerisha I Government11 September 200517 September 200964thBerisha II Government17 September 200915 September 201365thRama I Government17 September 201313 September 201766thRama II Government13 September 201718 September 202167thRama III Government18 September 202112 September 2025145668thRama IV Government12 September 2025Incumbent
See also Politics of Albania Prime Minister of Albania
Notes
References
External links Official website