Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama addressed thousands of supporters in Tirana’s main square on Wednesday night, thanking voters for what he called a “referendum” on Albania’s European future and a clear endorsement of his party’s leadership.
Rama’s Socialist Party secured 83 out of 140 seats in the May 11 parliamentary elections, marking a fourth consecutive term in power. He described the result as a decisive vote for continuity, stability, and EU accession.
“This was not just an election victory—it was a vote of trust, and a rejection of a failed opposition,” Rama said. “Albania chose to move forward.”
He acknowledged that this mandate will be the most challenging yet, as the government aims to close EU accession negotiations by 2027 and gain full membership by 2030. Rama also took the opportunity to praise smaller opposition parties for participating constructively, urging them to grow into serious alternatives.
In a personal moment, Rama thanked his family for their support, joking that his wife remains “the only opposition I can’t defeat.”
The speech comes ahead of the European Political Community Summit, which Albania will host in Tirana on May 17.
