Albania's new Assembly marks history, will have the highest number of MPs since 1992

This is the highest level of representation of women in Albania's Parliament since 1992, when the first pluralistic elections were held. The Socialist Party has the highest representation, with 22 deputies, followed by the Democratic Party with 11 female deputies. The Socialist Movement for Integration has 5 deputies, and the PDIU will have an MP, the one in the Dirra district, Reme Lala. What stands out is representation of women's deputies for each district for the Socialists, reaching the highest number in Tirana with 6 deputies, while the DP has received deputies in Tirana, Vlora, Durres, Korca, Lezha and Shkodra. The LSI has deputies in Tirana, Durres and Elbasan district.

In the lists for MPs that political parties submitted to the CEC for the 25 June elections, out of 2374 candidates, 948 (39,93%) were women. Compared to parliament that has just completed its legislature, the number of MPs is higher.

The current Albanian Assembly had 19 female deputies, or only 13 percent. After the resignation of most of the government cabinet from the deputy post, the number of women in parliament increased to 29 or about 21 percent.

The gender quotas were placed for the first time in Albania on changes to the 2008 Electoral Code, valid for the 2009 parliamentary elections. But after those elections it was found that political parties managed to avoid this legal obligation, justifying themselves with minimal sanctions.

With the principle of “kuota” on the Electoral Code in parliament 2009-2013, only 16 percent of the MPs were women. In the 25 June elections, political parties could not avoid being fined by the Central Election Commission for disrespecting gender quotas. After verifying the names of candidates of the Democratic Party, the CEC found that in the district of Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokastra, Berat and Kukes, the Electoral Code for representation of Albania's new Parliament issued by the June 25th elections would have 39 deputies from 140, or 27.85 per cent. Women candidates on the list.

He imposed a fine on this violation in the amount of 5 million new money, out of 1 million each district where the quota was not respected. For disrespecting the gender quota on candidate lists for deputies, the Central Election Commission fined two parties. The Socialist Party was fined a million new leks for failing to line up in the first three seats in Berat County of a woman candidate.

While the Socialist Movement for Integration was fined yes with $1m, because in Tirana's district in the first three countries on the list it included three women and no male candidate, discriminating the other gender.