List of heads of state of Albania explained

This is a list of heads of state of Albania who have served since the Declaration of Independence of 1912.

Since the collapse of the communist regime in 1991, the head of state of Albania is the president of the republic (Albanian: Presidenti i Republikës). The president is indirectly elected to a five-year term and is limited to a maximum of two terms, as specified by the Constitution. As in most parliamentary systems, the president is now by-and-large a ceremonial office, with the prime minister de facto heading the executive branch.^[1]

Heads of state

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office			Title	Affiliation
1		Ismail Qemali	28 November 1912	22 January 1914		Chairman of the Provisional Government	Independent
2		Fejzi Alizoti	22 January 1914	7 March 1914		Chairman of the Central Administration	Independent

No.	Name	Term of office		Title	Affiliation
3	Wilhelm I	7 March 1914	3 September 1914	Prince of Albania	House of Wied-Neuwied
—	Mustafa Ndroqi	23 September 1914	4 October 1914	Chairman of the First General Council	Independent
4	Esad Toptani	5 October 1914	24 February 1916	Chairman of the Provisional Government	Independent

5	Turhan Përmeti	28 December 1918	28 January 1920	Chairman of the Provisional Government	Independent
—	Sulejman Delvina	28 January 1920	30 January 1920	Chairman of the Provisional Government	Independent

6	Fan Noli	2 July 1924	24 December 1924	Head of state in place of the High Council	People's Party

No.	Name	Term of office		Title	Affiliation
―	Xhafer Ypi	9 April 1939	12 April 1939	Chairman of the Provisional Administration Committee	Fascist Party
―	Shefqet Vërlaci	12 April 1939	16 April 1939	Chairman of the Provisional Administration Committee	Fascist Party
9	Victor Emmanuel III	16 April 1939	8 September 1943	King of the Albanians	House of Savoy

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office			Title	Affiliation
10		Ibrahim Biçaku	14 September 1943	20 October 1943		Chairman of the Provisional Executive Committee	Balli Kombëtar
11		Mehdi Frashëri	20 October 1943	25 October 1944		Chairman of the Provisional Administration Committee	Balli Kombëtar

No.	Name	Term of office		Title	Affiliation
12	Omer Nishani	26 May 1944	1 August 1953	Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly of Albania	Communist Party Party of Labour
13	Haxhi Lleshi	1 August 1953	22 November 1982	Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly of Albania	Party of Labour
14	Ramiz Alia	22 November 1982	3 April 1992	Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly of Albania	Party of Labour

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office			Title	Affiliation
―		Enver Hoxha	20 October 1944	11 April 1985 †		First Secretary of the Communist Party / Party of Labour of Albania	Communist Party Party of Labour
―		Ramiz Alia	13 April 1985	13 June 1991		First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania	Party of Labour

No.	Name	Term of office			Title	Election	Affiliation
(14)	Ramiz Alia	30 April 1991	3 April 1992		President of Albania	1991	Party of Labour
―	Kastriot Islami	3 April 1992	6 April 1992		Speaker of the Parliament	―	Socialist Party
―	Pjetër Arbnori	6 April 1992	9 April 1992		Speaker of the Parliament	―	Democratic Party
15	Sali Berisha	9 April 1992	24 July 1997		President of Albania	1992	Democratic Party
―	Skënder Gjinushi	24 July 1997			Speaker of the Parliament	―	Socialist Party
16	Rexhep Meidani	24 July 1997	24 July 2002	years	President of Albania	1997	Socialist Party
9	Alfred Moisiu	24 July 2002	24 July 2007	years	President of Albania	2002	Independent
17	Bamir Topi	24 July 2007	24 July 2012	years	President of Albania	2007	Democratic Party
18	Bujar Nishani	24 July 2012	24 July 2017	years	President of Albania	2012	Democratic Party
19	Ilir Meta	24 July 2017	24 July 2022	years	President of Albania	2017	Socialist Movement for Integration
20	Bajram Begaj	24 July 2022	Incumbent		President of Albania	2022	Independent