In the lead-up to the 2025 elections, small parties like the Agrarian Environmentalist Party (PAA) negotiate with major parties to secure parliamentary seats and influence. These negotiations often resemble power plays, where small parties threaten to shift their support to rivals.

What’s happening

PAA leader Agron Duka rejected running alone due to the new Electoral Code that disadvantages small parties. He offered a coalition deal to the Democratic Party (PD) but set a strict deadline.

• Duka demands that PD leader Sali Berisha finalize their coalition by October and select candidates for the upcoming elections.

What he’s saying

“Small parties must form alliances with bigger groups. We need to resolve coalition issues by September; otherwise, we won’t have enough time to select candidates and gather votes,” Duka said on A2 CNN’s “Off the Record.”

• He’s negotiating with PD leadership and outlined PAA’s terms: representation in 10 out of 12 regions and at least one guaranteed parliamentary seat.

The big picture

Duka is also keeping the door open for a potential alliance with the ruling Socialist Party (PS) led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, signaling no “red lines” that would prevent a coalition.

• Key demands include revising the agriculture law and adjusting the VAT on agricultural products to support farmers.

What’s next: Duka’s negotiations underscore the high-stakes coalition dynamics as Albania heads toward the 2025 elections. For the PAA, the priority is securing a political future that supports the interests of Albanian farmers, regardless of ideological differences.