Prime Ministers of Albania

The ruling Socialist Party in Albania has won the parliamentary elections and will have between 45 and 49 percent of the vote.

According to exit polls conducted by the Italian agency IPR Marketing, the opposition Democratic Party will have up to 34 percent of the votes.

In a polarized political environment, the election process in Albania was concluded one hour after the scheduled closing time, as the committee responsible for them gave a small extension.

 Albania is observing an election silence Saturday as a result of the end of campaigns required one day ahead of parliamentary elections, Xinhua Reported.
Some 18 political parties and groups will be running for 140 seats in the Balkan country's parliament during the June 25 elections after 30 days of campaigns.

Albanian police said on Monday they are working with the prosecutors to find out what happened at an opposition Democratic Party rally on Saturday in Tirana, after which about 140 people complained of suffering mysterious ailments.

Problems included red, swollen eyes, skin irritations, vomiting and difficulties with breathing.

Albanian parties are heading into the coming elections alone, without the usual big pre-election coalitions, potentially making the process of forming a government after June 25 more difficult to predict.

On a visit to Albania, Deputy Assistant US Secretary of State Hoyt Brian Yee asked all Albanian parties to participate in the June 18 elections in order to give all citizens the right to be represented.

Opposition groups led by the Democratic Party, are preparing for a major rally in the Albanian capital, Tirana, on May 13, raising fears in some quarters that violence could occur.

Ilir Meta, leader of Albania's junior ruling party, the Socialist Movement for Integration, LSI, was voted in as President of Albania on Friday amid an opposition boycott.

Meta received 87 votes in favour and two against in the 140-seat assembly, becoming the seventh President of Albania since the Stalinist Communist regime collapsed in 1990.

Albanian opposition parties plan to radicalize their protests against the government of Edi Rama starting from Monday, when they intend to block all national roads for an hour.

Albania's Central Election Commission on Thursday refused to postpone a deadline for parties and coalitions to register for upcoming general election in June, leaving the ruling parties heading into the polls alone.

The general elections are therefore set to go ahead without the presence of opposition parties, which refused to register for the vote.