The election of Lulzim Basha for the third time, chairman of the Democratic Party, the largest opposition party in Albania, raises the question: Will the Democratic Party be revived to play its role against the SP government, which won the third term?
Basha himself promised this a few hours after the official announcement of his victory earlier this week, in front of three other candidates in the race, when he stated that “the election for chairman of the Democratic Party was a democratic process that raises the party to the heights of name and history ”.
History: Will Basha open a new chapter?
The history of the DP is with light and shadow. It will go down in history as the first opposition party in Albania after 45 years of communist regime and ban on political pluralism. But its history so far is overshadowed by serious events such as the permitting of pyramid schemes, the collapse of the state and the overthrow of the country in 1997 on the eve of the civil war, the Gerdec scandal in 2008, the killing of four unarmed protesters in the Socialist protest opposition in January 2011.
Lulzim Basha needs to open a new chapter and resolutely break away from the shadows of history. After three consecutive losses and accusations within the DP of “serious mistakes in the political vision of the opposition action”, Lulzim Basha needs to reconceptualize the DP and its strategy.
Aleksandër Çipa, an independent analyst in Tirana, president of the Association of Professional Journalists of Albania, tells DW that “this is not a quick recovery, as the chairmanship of the PD by Basha is currently not a promising factor due to its repeated failures and the deep gap between what it promises and what it achieves. ” “The DP needs a courageous leadership that has a vision beyond its current state and political legacy. “It must return strongly with energetic political actions in institutions in the face of a challenging parliamentary majority, but also with excessive health from the government in three terms”, he says for DW.
Predictions for the resurrection of the DP by Basha, until there are signals that this is indeed happening, characterized by skepticism. “The chances for the opposition to change under Basha's leadership are slim. After the elections, the DP stated that it does not recognize their result, but will enter the Assembly. During the mayoral election campaign, this attitude changed. The DP will later make a decision regarding Parliament. This clearly shows that Lulzim Basha has not changed and his opposition is expected not to change. I think it will be the same opposition that goes from extreme to normal with incredible ease, without explaining anything and without giving an account to anyone. “Basha has the opportunity to raise the DP, if he manages to act differently from the current Basha”, says for DW, Enton Abilekaj.
Is Basha a leader of the cloud?
Lulzim Basha was 16 years old when the communist regime fell. high school student in Tirana. Without a communist past, young and educated in the West, with high hopes of being a young leader. “It really does not belong to the old but he does not face it, to belong to the cloud. He is like a balancer of the cloud that requires space and the old that does not let go,” Enton Abilekaj tells DW.
Analyst Chipa compares his position with that of a hostage-taker. “He is being held hostage by powerful political opponents, both the ruling party and other vectors of the opposition party spectrum. The latter will appear perhaps even more visible in September and October of this year, when the parliament, the government are constituted and we have new constitutional acts “, says for DW Aleksandër Çipa.
It is about the decision of the Constitutional Court regarding the pro-Parliament vote for the dismissal of President Ilir Meta. “If this court approves the decision of the Parliament and dismisses President Meta, it is likely that he will take over the leadership of the party,” said the Socialist Movement for Integration, an ally of the Democratic Party in efforts to overthrow the Rama government.
The political fate of the opposition – the separation of Basha from Berisha
Lulzim Basha came at the head of the DP, when its historical leader, Sali Berisha, resigned, after losing the parliamentary elections in 2013. In the eight years of the PD in opposition, Basha has been perceived as a leader under the shadow of his political father, Berisha.
“This perception will last as long as Lulzim Basha will continue to take care that Berisha is not affected or angry by his decisions, until Basha continues to behave as an administrator of Berisha's property and not as the leader of a party of his. everyone. I think that Berisha did not have a great influence on the decision-making of the DP, but Basha's attitudes, with his eyes from Berisha, Basha's fear of spoiling his mood, have created the perception that behind him is the former historic chairman of the DP- of, ”says Enton Abilekaj for DW.
Aleksandër Çipa sees Basha's success in resurrecting the PD with “his liberation an hour ago from its historical leader, Berisha.” This is a serious issue. Berisha has recently returned to protagonism due to his personal plight. After the official act of declaring “an unwanted person” by the US State Department and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Berisha has made statements for returning to the helm of the Democratic Party. This is an increase of his shadow over the head of the official chairman of the Democratic Party, Basha. Berisha can become a serious obstacle for Basha, through visible and invisible interference in the affairs of the political family and groups within the DP, Çipa told DW.
September is the month of potential developments
The dissatisfaction within the DP towards Basha, the factions and groups within it and their determination to continue the political battle against him, foretell an uneasy autumn for the DP. “There will be developments in the fall that will be determined by the position and situation that Mr. Berisha will carry or will have after the first months of the meeting of the new Parliament and the formation of the new government. “The internal problems of the Democratic Party have increased after the elections of the mayor”, says Aleksandër Çipa.
The increased problems also foreshadow new potential developments for their solution. “Developments within the DP are for the benefit of this party itself, the opposition and society. The opposition needs it for a new response to the uncontrolled rule of Edi Rama that is turning into an autocratic regime. “If the DP will not be the answer, then another tool will be found, a new force or a new alliance”, Enton Abilekaj emphasizes for DW./ DW
