Albanian premier faces tough year ahead of elections

Significance The PD has started healing some of the rifts that have divided it for nearly three years. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party (PS) is favourite to win parliamentary elections due in April 2025, given likely economic growth and the PD’s many problems, although a row with Greece is holding up progress in EU accession talks. Impacts The PS and PD will seek to cooperate behind the scenes to protect politicians from the judiciary’s vigorous anti-corruption activities. Albania’s international partners will increase their calls for electoral reform to deal with irregularities in the voting system. Rama will continue to focus on concluding foreign and security agreements to improve his government’s international image.