Parliamentary elections were held in Albania on 23 June 2013. The result was a victory for the Alliance for a European Albania led by the Socialist Party and its leader, Edi Rama. Incumbent Prime Minister Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party-led Alliance for Employment, Prosperity and Integration conceded defeat on 26 June.

Background The previous parliamentary elections were held on 28 June 2009 and resulted in a victory for the Democratic Party of Albania-led Alliance of Change, which received 46.92 of the vote, winning 70 of the 140 seats. The opposition Union for Change headed by Edi Rama of the Socialist Party received almost 45.34% of the vote and won the other 66 seats. The Democratic Party led by Sali Berisha formed the government with Berisha as Prime Minister.

Electoral system The 140 members of Parliament were elected in twelve multi-member constituencies based on the twelve counties using closed list proportional representation with an electoral threshold of 3% for parties and 5% for alliances.Election Profile IFES Seats were allocated to alliances using the d'Hondt method, then to political parties using the Sainte-Laguë method.Electoral system IPU

#CountySeats1Berat82Dibër63Durrës134Elbasan145Fier166Gjirokastër57Korçë128Kukës49Lezhë710Shkodër1111Tirana3212Vlorë12

Alliances Prior to the election two major coalitions were formed, whilst four parties and two independent candidates ran alone. In total there were 66 parties.

Alliance for Employment, Prosperity and Integration (Aleanca për Punësim, Mirëqenie dhe Integrim) is a coalition of 25 centrist and center-right parties. It was led by the then Prime Minister, Sali Berisha. Alliance for a European Albania (Aleanca për Shqipërinë Europiane) is a big tent coalition containing 37 opposition parties that vary from far left to right-wing. It was led by the then Leader of the Opposition, now Prime Minister, Edi Rama.

Opinion polls By party Pollster DatePDPSAKLSIFRDPDIUParticipation Party pollingKult 8–14 December 2012 29.6% 36.5% 14.1% 4.7% 4.1% 71.0%Gazeta Dita 17–20 December 2012Only in the municipality of Tirana 31.0% 37.1% 6.5% 6.6% 5.3% AlbStat 28 December 2012 31.4% 40.4% 15.2% 4.9% 4.9% 77.1%AlbStat 21–28 January 2013 31.2% 41.2% 15.0% 5.5% 5.5% 77.5%Kult 22–31 January 2013 30.1% 41.2% 14.9% 4.1% 4.1% 75%Soros February 2013 22.7% 19.6% 1.2% 1.0% 1.3% 1.0% 52.2%Istituto Piepoli May 2013 37.5% 42.5% 2.5% 5% 5% 797IPR Marketing May/June 2013 38.5% 40% 2% 6.3% 3.7% 1.7% 1000Istituto Piepoli June 2013 38% 42.5% 2.5% 5.5% 3.5% 1000

By alliance Pollster Date APMI ASHEAKFRDParticipationIstituto Piepoli May 2013 42.5% 50.5% 2.5% 5% 797IPR Marketing May/June 2013 43% 50% 2% 3.7% 1,000Istituto Piepoli June 2013 42.5% 51% 2.5% 3.5% 1,000NOA Agency May 2013 58.8% 41.2% 8,177Albeu May 2013 42.5% 43.3% 8.5% 3.4% 20,886 Seats polling Pollster Date APMI ASHEAKFRDParticipationIstituto Piepoli June 2013 66 73 0 1 1,000

Conduct The Central Election Commission was criticised for not replacing three of the seven member committee who had resigned in April following a dispute between the government and the opposition.

On election day, a shootout occurred in Laç resulting in the death of the LSI activist Gjon Pjeter Gjoni and injuring the PD candidate Mhill Fufi.

Results

By county CountySocialistDemocraticLSI PDIURepublicanOther partiesCountySeatsVotes%SVotes%SVotes%SVotes%SVotes%SVotes%SBerat 8 42,897 46.94% 4 19,022 20.81% 2 21,549 23.58% 2 783 0.86% 0 1,962 2.15%0 5,183 5.67%0Dibër 6 25,103 33.66% 2 30,137 40.41% 3 10,019 13.43% 1 248 0.33% 0 2,219 2.98% 0 6,856 9.19% 0Durrës 13 60,833 39.24% 6 52,703 34.00% 5 11,605 7.49% 1 3,785 2.44% 0 10,519 6.79% 1 15,586 10.05% 0Elbasan 14 75,086 43.26% 6 46,788 29.96% 4 18,484 10.65% 2 12,110 6.98% 1 6,266 3.61% 1 14,842 8.55% 0Fier 16 89,637 44.18% 9 46,374 22.86% 4 19,677 9.70% 2 9,058 4.46% 1 3,881 1.91% 0 34,235 16.87% 0Gjirokastër 5 25,148 42.36% 3 13,509 22.76% 1 11,534 19.43% 1 196 0.33% 0 2,642 4.45% 0 6,332 10.67% 0Korçë 12 63,584 43.50% 6 47,061 32.20% 5 14,416 9.86% 1 1,440 0.99% 0 4,442 3.03% 0 15,216 10.41% 0Kukës 4 11,384 24.32% 1 22,428 47.91% 3 5,648 12.06% 0 541 1.16% 0 2,397 5.12% 0 4,419 9.44% 0Lezhë 7 26,433 32.90% 2 31,605 39.34% 4 8,820 10.98% 1 594 0.74% 0 1,388 1.73% 0 11,503 14.32% 0Shkodër 11 37,984 31.12% 4 45,799 37.53% 5 12,772 10.46% 1 247 0.20% 0 4,930 4.04% 0 20,312 16.65% 1Tiranë 32 198,837 44.05% 16 151,472 33.56% 11 35,394 7.84% 3 9,173 2.03% 1 10,561 2.34% 1 45,970 10.18% 0Vlorë 12 56,481 46.62% 6 21,475 17.72% 3 10,552 8.71% 1 6,782 5.60% 1 981 0.81% 0 24,890 20.54% 1Albania 44,957 2.61% 4 205,404 11.91% 2

Aftermath

Early on election day both Sali Berisha and Edi Rama claimed victory. On 25 June, Edi Rama gave his victory speech saying, "I will be your prime minister, but also your prime servant. The duty will be mine; the authority will be yours." On 26 June, after vote counting was finally complete, the outgoing Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, publicly accepted the result, took responsibility for the loss, resigned from his functions in the Democratic Party, and wished his opponent well in his new duties.

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