Albania’s Constitutional Court has upheld contested changes to the Electoral Code, dismissing opposition claims that the new rules undermine voters’ rights.
A controversial electoral reform in Albania has survived a legal challenge after the Constitutional Court ruled in favor of changes to the voting system. Seven smaller political parties and opposition MPs had argued that the amendments, which combine fixed-ranking candidate lists with preferential voting, limit democratic choice and violate constitutional principles.
The reforms allocate one-third of parliamentary candidates to fixed rankings decided by political parties, while two-thirds are open to voter preferences. Critics say this undermines fair representation, as only 40 of Albania’s 140 MPs will be directly chosen by voters, with the rest selected based on party-drafted lists.
The court rejected these claims, stating the electoral system adheres to constitutional guarantees and that the balance between fixed and preferential lists ensures fairness. “The rules apply equally to all electoral participants and voters,” the court’s ruling noted.
A separate challenge over how the law was passed also fell through due to a lack of judicial consensus, leaving the reforms intact.
Opposition groups have vowed to continue their fight, calling for greater voter influence and a transparent election process ahead of Albania’s next parliamentary polls.
