Economic policy has emerged as one of the dominant issues ahead of Albania’s general election on May 11, as Prime Minister Edi Rama and opposition leader Sali Berisha trade barbs over growth, taxes and the cost of living during a campaign marked by mutual accusations and promises of prosperity.

With the Socialist Party seeking a fourth consecutive term, Rama has touted his government’s record on GDP growth, EU integration progress and falling unemployment. “When we took office, GDP was under €10bn. Today it is €25bn,” Rama told supporters in Burrel, northern Albania, on May 2. “By 2030, we will reach €35bn.”

Rama pointed to data from international institutions showing Albania’s GDP has grown by 109.6% since 2013, outpacing its regional peers. He also highlighted improvements in unemployment and per capita income, claiming a drop in joblessness from 18% to 8.8% and a tripling of exports since his party took power. The prime minister has made similar points during other recent campaign speeches. 

Meanwhile, opposition Democratic Party leader Berisha has focused on the struggles of specific groups such as small businesses, farmers and exporters, promising sweeping tax cuts and subsidies. “We will reduce taxes and do everything so that business and tourism in Tropoja and all of Albania can breathe,” Berisha declared at a rally in Tropoja, northeastern Albania, on May 4.

Berisha outlined a programme pledging a minimum wage of €500 and an average wage of €1,250, as well as fivefold increases in agricultural subsidies. He also promised a Consumer Card that would reduce the cost of basic goods by 20% for vulnerable families.

“We will create the most business-friendly climate in Europe,” Berisha said in Peqin on May 3, vowing to cut VAT to 15% and introduce a flat 10% tax for medium and large enterprises. He also proposed a scheme to compensate exporters for losses due to the euro’s depreciation.

Despite starkly different visions, both main parties have promised higher pensions, expanded social services, and an increased minimum wage. Rama has committed to raising the minimum wage to €650 by the end of the next mandate, while maintaining tax exemptions for small businesses until 2029.

At times, the tone has turned personal. Albania’s two leading politicians have taunted each other with owl-themed jibes, with Rama calling Berisha a “swamp owl”, while the opposition leader argued the bird is a symbol of wisdom. 

Berisha also accused the Rama government of living in luxury while citizens struggle on €140 pensions. “Ministers dress like princesses,” he said, pledging that “the difficult situation will end on May 11”. 

Rama, meanwhile, has defended his record. “Time alone didn’t bring progress,” he said. “It was the choice Albanians made.” He also also highlighted the progress made towards EU accession during the Socialists’ successive mandates. 

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) noted in an April 28 report that while campaign discourse has featured discussion of the economy and EU membership, it has also been marred by accusations of corruption and misuse of state resources. “The Democratic Party accuses the incumbent of vote-buying and other electoral crimes,” the OSCE observed.

The ruling Socialists’ reputation has taken a hit from the arrest of Erion Veliaj, the mayor of Tirana and a high-profile figure within the party. 

However, the opposition, both the Democratic Party and former president Ilir Meta’s Freedom Party, have also been hit by corruption scandals. 

Berisha was charged by the Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) in 2024 in a corruption case concerning the privatisation of Partizani sports club land. 

He is sanctioned by the US on the grounds of “significant corruption”, as announced by former secretary state Antony Blinken in 2022. Contracts with US lobbying firms have failed to secure a lifting of the sanctions ahead of the election; instead SPAK has opened a probe into how the Democrats managed to pay a reported $6mn fee for one firm’s services.