Freedom Party of Albania explained

Country:Albania
Freedom Party of Albania
Native Name:Partia e Lirisë së Shqipërisë
Abbreviation:PL
Leader:Ilir Meta
Founder:Ilir Meta
Leader1 Title:Parliamentary group leader
Leader1 Name:Petrit Vasili
Split:Socialist Party of Albania[1] [2]
Foundation:[3]
Position:Centre-left
Colours: Red and white
Headquarters:Sami Frasheri, Godina 20/10, Tirana
Newspaper:Integrimi
National:Bashkë Fitojmë
Seats1 Title:National Assembly
Seats2 Title:Municipality

The Freedom Party (Albanian: Partia e Lirisë, PL), formerly known as the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI), is a social democratic political party in Albania. The party was formed on 6 September 2004, when Ilir Meta defected from the Socialist Party of Albania (PS).[4] [5] [6] A proposal to change its logo, name and other symbols was unanimously approved at the party's National Convention (Congress) on 25 July 2022. The party is seen more socially conservative than Socialist Party of Albania.

Through the use of the term "movement", the party attempted to give the message that it is open and inclusive. The other reason for using this term was its intention to differentiate itself from the other parties.[7] It employed the one member, one vote system in March 2005 to elect its leader, Ilir Meta.[7]

Elections

At the 2005 parliamentary election the party won five seats in the Albanian Parliament with 8.4% of the vote.[2] The party was mostly supported by the Albanian youth at the 2005 elections.[8] At the 2009 parliamentary election it won four seats with 4.8% of the vote.[5] The party along with PSV91 became the determining parties to form the government coalition.[9] In June 2009 the PL allied with the centre-right Democratic Party of Albania (PD) to form the government coalition.[5] [10]

PL successfully increased its share of the vote in the 2013 parliamentary election, winning 16 seats with 10.4% of the vote.[2]

ElectionLeaderVotes%Seats+/–RankGovernment
2005Ilir Meta112,4498.24New5th
200973,6784.85 1 3rd
2013180,47010.46 12 3rd
2017Petrit Vasili225,90114.28 3 3rd
2021Monika Kryemadhi107,5216.81 15 3rd

Leader of the Party

Ilir Meta founded the party and remained Leader of the Party until 30 April 2017. On 28 April 2017 he was elected the 7th President of Albania and left the Party. Petrit Vasili, a prominent figure inside the party served as the party leader, until 29 June, resigning after the election results. Monika Kryemadhi, Meta's wife, was then voted in as party leader. Although she is the spouse of then-President Meta, she refused to take the honorific position of the First Lady of Albania, conceding the post to her oldest daughter.[11] On 25 July 2022, Meta returned to the party as leader after his presidency had ended. Subsequently, the party's name was changed to the Freedom Party.[12]

ChairmanBorn–DiedTerm startTerm endTime in office
1Ilir Meta1969–6 September 20045 May 2017
2Petrit Vasili1958– 5 May 20175 July 2017
3Monika Kryemadhi1974– 5 July 201725 July 2022
(1)Ilir Meta1969–25 July 2022Incumbent

References

  1. Web site: European Election Watch Albania . . . 4 January 2022 . 4 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220104030128/https://www.csis.org/programs/european-election-watch/albania . dead .
  2. Book: Tom Lansford. Political Handbook of the World 2014. 8 April 2014. SAGE Publications. 978-1-4833-3327-4. 21.
  3. Robert Elsie (2010) Historical Dictionary of Albania, Scarecrow Press, pxlvii
  4. Web site: European integration, party governance and electoral system in Albania. Center for Southeast Europe. 6 September 2012. Michaela Salamun. Zaim Hallunaj. Working Paper.
  5. Book: Robert Elsie. Historical Dictionary of Albania. 2010. Rowman & Littlefield. 978-0-8108-6188-6. 422.
  6. Web site: Leftist Parties of Albania. Broad Left. 6 May 2016. 22 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170722080313/http://www.broadleft.org/al.htm. dead.
  7. Book: Blendi Kajsiu. Organizational Structures and Internal Party Democracy in South Eastern Europe. 2005. Gorex Press. Sofia. 142–165. Organizational Structures and Internal Party Democracy in Albania. F. Stiftung . G. Karasimeonov. 6 September 2012.
  8. Web site: Jano. Dorian. On Parties and Party System in Albania: What implications for democracy . Central-European Intensive Ccurse. 6 September 2012. 2008.
  9. Web site: Election campaign with the taste of blood. International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies. 6 September 2012. 24 June 2009.
  10. Book: Marc Stegherr. Kerstin Liesem. Die Medien in Osteuropa: Mediensysteme Im Transformationsprozess. 13 August 2010. Springer-Verlag. 978-3-531-92487-8. 159.
  11. Web site: Shqiptarja.com - Dorėhiqet Vasili: Kryemadhi kandidate pėr kryetare tė LSI . 2017-06-29 . 2017-12-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171201032246/http://shqiptarja.com/home/1/dor-hiqet-vasili-kryemadhi-kandidate-p-r-kryetare-t--lsi-427615.html . dead .
  12. Web site: Albania's ex-president takes over his old political party . 2022-07-26 . ABC News . en.

External links