Deutsche Welle analysis: PDA Purges brought defeat

These are figures that accurately indicate the DP's deep defeat in parliamentary elections, held two weeks ago, on 25 June. The removal of the candidate for deputies' list of President Basha critics, simultaneously the main figures of the DP in the past 20 years, and their replacement with new, unknown names, appears to have resulted in “boomerang” for DP: It lost 10% of its faithful electorate votes.

July 22nd elections

The removal of such figures seems to have sparked great dissatisfaction and suspicions of personal gain from Basha, if it is considered that these figures are no longer at the DP's leading forums. This “cleanup of critics” occurred not far from July 22nd, the date when this month will be voted for the new DP chairman. What was expected of Basha's public opinion and critics was Basha's resignation, the mayor's post, and whether he would enter the race to be equal among the equal. But Basha did not attend the precedent of his historic leader and supporter, Sali Barisa, who resigned when the DP lost the election in 2013, after eight years in power. He did not resign even though his critics strongly demanded it.

Basha is racing for a second term mayor, with the support of the newcomers in the DP and a good portion of the old “”, elected MPs in the new Parliament. In the campaign he has launched, he competes as leader of the DP, self-freed of the leading positions. Former Parliament Speaker Jozefina Topalli, now a simple member of the DP, names the fake”, not legitimate, manipulated, inequitable”. Basha faces only one candidate for chairman: Edward Selam, a member of the DP, its former chairman, returned after 18 years from the US, after leaving the DP for principled dispute with Berisha.

Default results: no guarantees for free and fair elections within the party

Astrit Patozi, former vice-president of the DP, ex-Deputes and one of the most critical voices towards Basha, tells the DW that the resignation in the event of the election loss for the chairman of a major political force such as the DP is a standard of democratic world, a political legitimacy, much more when the DP's loss is a catastrophic loss.

Basha's failure to resign as an individual is an extraordinary lack of responsibility”, according to him. Pattozi stresses that he himself gave up running for DP chairman after Basha refused to impose rules “guaranteeing impartiality and failing to influence the race. ”

“We are in a farce race to elect the DP chairman, as the result is predetermined. Edward Peace serves Basha to legitimise a process that is not legitimate. We are in a very serious situation in the PD” says Astrit Pattozi.

Can the DP be restored as strong opposition and in the service of Albania's progress?

This opposition situation, characterised by differences and distrust, comes when in Albania there is a very powerful left-wing parliamentary majority, with 74 parliamentary mandates in a 140-seat parliament. Moreover, when constitutional changes related to justice and other major reforms with 3/5 of the votes must be adopted in the new parliament, either by 94 votes.

The DP, after deep loss, will have to rise from ashes to be a strong, mature opposition and in the service of Albania's progress, at the heart of which is positive performance in the EU entry process. But Pattozi has doubts. This is hardly happening. The DP under Basha's direction failed to make strong opposition when the ruling leftist coalition, P S-LSI, there were differences. Now, the DP must face a new solid government, with a single pilot, Edi Rama. We're out of options. Basha produced defeat, it will further make the DP's results worse in the two-year-old local elections, even if it remains the DP's president in the upcoming 2021 parliamentary elections,” says Patoz.

The Union Before the Real Threat of Distinction

In Albania it is no secret that Basha has enjoyed Berisha's support. He has also been one of the most privileged ministers of the Berisha cabinets, during the DP's 8-year rule, 2005-2013, and that in the 2010 local elections, he won Tirana City Hall with rules of changed games during the election process. “I don't know if you still enjoy Berisha's support, which so far has been evident. If you still enjoy it, then that is not Basha's problem, but Berisha's. For now Berisha is very withdrawn, I don't know whether he will return to be active in the PPS„internal developments, says Astrit Patozi for DW.

But Berisha played the role of the historic leader, when days ago with his absolute authority in the DP called for unity and not divisions, for hearing of thought differently and not exclusion. But this does not seem easy in the face of the disappointment of the DP's historical figures, left off the list of candidates for MPs and their numerous supporters. Independent Tirana analysts do not rule out worst scenario for Its PD shrink from the loss of electorate and illustrates this option with what happened to the left party. PASOK in Greece.

The need for strong opposition?

The hope of this not happening is also on the horizon the risk of fragmentation, division of the DP, which has accompanied her throughout her 27-year history. „I still hope in the response of the Democrats who will not allow Basha to usurp a second term after a deep loss. But if that may not happen, I believe in the reaction of the right electorate to find another opportunity to respond to Albania's urgent need for a strong, right opposition. Right now, we're aiming to change things for the better by being inside PD. We hope to get him up, rebuild the PD. If this isn't done, we'll see more steps. ” says Astrit Pattozi.