Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama pledged on May 26 to use his ruling Socialist Party’s latest election victory as a springboard to drive sweeping reforms and secure the country’s long-awaited accession to the European Union within this decade.

Rama, in power since 2013, has long cast the Socialist Party as Albania’s only viable governing force, a stance critics say contributes to a lack of pluralism. He was helped to a fourth consecutive victory by infighting within the main opposition parties, but has also benefited from recent strong progress on Albania's EU accession path. 

“We need victories to fulfil our historic mission – to change Albania forever,” Rama said in a triumphant speech to party members following the Socialists’ strong victory in the May 11 general election. 

“We don’t need victories to defeat others. This is not a sport … We need victories to develop the economy, guarantee justice, improve education and healthcare, strengthen security and increase the international reputation of our homeland.”

The Socialist Party won 856,318 votes on May 11 – approximately 88,000 more than in 2021 – and crossed the 50% threshold, growing their share of the vote 48.7% to 53.2%, according to official figures.

“We have climbed so high that no one believed it,” Rama said, attributing the result to his party’s ability to “get more out of ourselves after each victory”.

Despite the celebratory tone, Rama acknowledged that securing lasting change would require internal reform, hinting at an imminent reshuffle. “We must start from ourselves … some things need to be seen differently, understood differently, and done differently at the level of party leadership, parliamentary group, and government,” he said.

The Socialist leader emphasised the need to “properly share our thoughts” and use the power of a fourth mandate as a “great self-correcting power”. 

Rama reiterated his goal of seeing Albania join the EU by 2030, framing the coming years as decisive. “The more we self-correct, the more Albania will improve. Albanians will benefit, and our membership in the EU will be guaranteed – within this decade.”

“We have the privilege of being given the opportunity to bring to the country … the greatest test of character and patriotism to raise Albania 2030 to the peak where the house of the European Union stands,” he added.

In a jab at his political rivals, who have challenged the Socialists' latest victory, Rama accused the opposition of refusing to accept electoral realities and clinging to conspiracy theories.

“Others do not want to accept the reality of the facts. This has made them chronic losers, while it has left Albania without a challenging alternative to the SP,” he said. “These days, their parallel universe is filled with bags of black clouds pouring everywhere the rain of stolen votes … envelopes of votes that attack from all sides like flocks of paper birds.”