Albania is racing ahead in its bid to join the European Union, propelled by what experts from four European think-tanks describe as “unprecedented dynamism” in the country’s accession path. However, they warn that rapid progress risks masking deepening structural and democratic weaknesses.

The paper published by Clingendael, "Albania’s EU Accession Sprint: Balancing Momentum, Reform, and EU Scrutiny", is based on a joint fact-finding mission to Tirana from 5-7 October 2025 by experts from Clingendael, Carnegie Europe, Germany’s DGAP and the Jacques Delors Institute. It says Albania has emerged as “one of the most rapidly advancing EU candidate countries”, with all negotiation clusters opened and a government plan to complete talks by 2027.

Yet researchers caution that “insufficient EU due diligence on key reforms risks weakening the EU’s transformative power,” and argue that sustaining momentum will require “stronger domestic ownership and more rigorous and sincere EU assessments”.

Ambition meets bottlenecks

Prime Minister Edi Rama has placed EU membership at the centre of his political project. The brief notes that Rama has “invested virtually all his political capital” in advancing accession, leveraging personal ties with EU leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

According to the policy brief, Albania is aiming to secure a positive assessment this year on the Interim Benchmark Assessment Report (IBAR) to start closing negotiating chapters. The European Commission has said Tirana’s goal of wrapping up negotiations by 2027 is ambitious but “on track” if the government “maintains its reform momentum” and encourages “inclusive political dialogue”.

However, the paper warns the domestic system underpinning the reforms remains fragile. Albania’s political landscape, the report argues, “can hardly be described as competitive”. Rama’s Socialist Party dominates the executive, parliament and almost all municipalities, while the main opposition has become “divided, inward-looking and lacking credibility”.

The brief cites OSCE/ODIHR findings that the May 2025 elections were marred by “an insufficient level playing field, voter pressure, and cases of misuse of public resources”. Researchers say that merging Albania’s parliamentary committees on EU and foreign affairs has in practice “transferred leadership of the EU integration process from the opposition to the ruling SP”, turning accession into “an almost entirely government-driven endeavour”.

Reforms lag in key sectors

Albania faces an enormous administrative burden as it attempts to transpose more than 500 laws and decrees before the end of 2027. Central ministries are described as highly motivated but overstretched, while local governments report limited involvement in accession planning. The brief cites the European Commission’s assessment that Albania must “strengthen the capacity of local governments” and address “a pressing need to increase local governments’ own revenues”, arguing that ownership of reforms outside Tirana remains weak.

Civil society, too, is only partially engaged. NGOs complain of limited government consultation and the frequent use of fast-track procedures, raising questions about the quality of legislation. 

The brief also identifies several reform areas where progress is lagging. Media remains the most vulnerable sector. According to the authors, Albania’s media landscape is “a largely unregulated space, vulnerable to political influence and economic pressures”, with concentrated ownership leading to “self-censorship among journalists”. SLAPP lawsuits “remain a persistent challenge”, and the report stresses that “the decriminalisation of defamation… remains a key prerequisite”.

Judicial reform is described as advancing yet incomplete. The vetting of judges and prosecutors has reduced corruption but created serious case backlogs, while the Special Anti-Corruption Structure, SPAK, has won public trust by prosecuting officials on both sides of the political divide. However, the brief warns its independence is “not yet firmly secured” and that NGOs have raised concerns about “judicial excesses and the organisation’s methods for making arrests”.

Environmental and procurement standards also remain areas of concern. Clingendael says compliance is “uneven” and that existing loopholes are frequently exploited. It highlights the construction of the Vlora Airport next to a protected nature reserve and the decision to bypass procurement rules in granting strategic investor status to a company linked to Jared Kushner, describing the latter as an attempt “to boost relations with US President [Donald] Trump.” A controversial UAE-backed port development in Durrës has similarly drawn EU criticism.

Geopolitical support

Despite these challenges, Albania retains strong geopolitical support in Brussels. It fully aligns with EU sanctions on Russia and has hosted major EU and Nato summits, reinforcing its image as a reliable partner. Tourism and popular culture have brought Albania more firmly into Europe’s public imagination, but support across EU member states remains uneven. 

Citing Eurobarometer data, the brief reports that 45% of EU citizens back Albania’s accession once criteria are met, compared with 44% who oppose it, warning that “sustained public and political support from the EU cannot be taken for granted” as far-right parties gain ground.

The brief argues that while EU institutions are well aware of Albania’s shortcomings, their public messaging favours praise over pressure. “The EU’s desire for a success story appears to hinder a more realistic public appraisal of the pitfalls,” it says, warning that this weakens Brussels’ ability to hold Tirana accountable.

The paper concludes that Albania’s accession will be “a key test for the EU’s ability to act on enlargement in line with its self-proclaimed enlargement momentum”. With IBAR decisions approaching this winter, researchers say Brussels should use the current window “to maintain sufficient due diligence on the country’s accession reforms”. They add that while the EU should acknowledge Albania’s achievements, it must be “equally clear that the challenging phase of implementing changes and closing chapters still lies ahead”.