Albania is in the year 2025. In December 1990, pluralism was allowed; in March 1991, the first multi-party elections were held. Three of the deputies who won those elections are currently deputies and have just been re-elected for the 2025-2029 legislature. Two are from the Democratic Party (PD) and one from the Socialist Party (PS).
34 years, by 2029 it will be 38 years. Eternal? Naturally, those with many mandates say that they are the best, the most voted, the most capable and the most honest, recognizing all successes for themselves and attributing all the failures of the transition to the other side.
Look at the new parliament: more than 50% are elected for the first time, most of them without political experience and without a clear program/idea for the “new/first job,” naturally also without full knowledge of the challenges, responsibilities, rights, and limits of parliamentary life.
Those with a second term form the largest group, followed by other groups in descending order. Only 3 deputies have 9 parliamentary terms each, and only 1 deputy has 10 parliamentary terms.
THEY are right. Even when things in Albania have gone well or badly, they have done well. They have been elected or voted in. Despite the fact that they make the laws themselves, lead the party themselves, elect themselves and others, make political decisions themselves, and determine what the governing and representative system should be, they also conduct their own analysis of elections, write how history should speak about them, and often take on the roles of prosecutor and judge themselves, as well as those of the Central Election Commission and the Constitutional Court.
Legally they are right, they are our product. Morally? Integrity is not yet a standard in political parties, in society, in the state, in the promoting structures, nor in the public discourse. Therefore, it is not yet a criterion.
The million-dollar question is: besides their personal/family success, what is their contribution to society, the rule of law, good governance, functional democracy, or the progress of the country? What are the measurable parliamentary, political, and civic contributions they have made over nearly three decades in parliament? Which reform law bears their name? Which decision identifies them in public and historical memory as positive and exemplary models?
The table presents statistics. I know that statistics do not align 100% with the truth, but they are an important tool to help debates and opinions that lead to some truths. The old parliament is reconvening in 14-minute sessions to produce the same show and the same decision-making as in previous years, and we are waiting for the new parliament, which convenes in September, to bring some positive change/reflection for the country.
Here, the statistics can also help us better understand the theses that democracy is more than procedure, it is more substance than form, and therefore the future we have voted for every 4 years, including on May 11, 2025, cannot be anything different than a product and continuation of the present, the past, and the phenomena of the transition.
Afrim Krasniqi është studiues në Departamentin e Historisë Bashkëkohore në Institutin e Historisë, Akademia e Shkencave të Shqipërisë, si dhe Drejtor Ekzekutiv i Institutit për Studime Politike (ISP). Kërkimet e tij përqendrohen në periudhën historike që i paraprin ndryshimeve të regjimit dhe tranzicionit që pasoi. Ai e ka marrë doktoratën në histori në Universitetin e Tiranës, duke mbrojtur disertacionin me temën “Ballkani Perëndimor dhe Shqipëria në periudhën post-komuniste: Analizë e sistemeve politike dhe qeverisëse.”
Gjithashtu, ai është autor i disa monografive dhe librave studimorë mbi sistemet politike dhe historinë, përfshirë: “Kriza e ambasadave: Shqipëria në vitin 1990” (2020), “Partitë Politike në Shqipëri 1912–2009” (2010), dhe “Sistemet Politike në Shqipëri 1912–2008” (2009). Profesori Krasniqi ka marrë titullin doktor në histori nga Universiteti i Tiranës dhe gjithashtu zotëron një diplomë master nga Universiteti Viadrina në Frankfurt (Oder), Gjermani. Ai është një opinionist dhe komentator i shpeshtë politik në platforma të ndryshme mediatike në Shqipëri dhe rajon.