The Regulatory Commission of the Central Election Commission (CEC) has, for a second consecutive day, failed to approve rules for registering emigrants to vote in next spring’s elections. The key sticking point is the requirement that voters from abroad must hold a valid, unexpired ID to register. The regulatory Commission is the competent body for approving normative acts in the field of elections and establishing rules for elections.

Why is this important: Enabling voting from abroad is crucial for Albanian emigrants, but political disagreements are blocking progress. The debate reflects deeper tensions between political parties, with the opposition Democratic Party(DP) and ruling Socialist Party (PS) at odds over registration rules, potentially delaying reforms necessary for transparent elections.

What’s this about: The crux of the disagreement lies in the Socialist Party’s insistence that only Albanian emigrants with valid identification documents be allowed to register and participate in the elections. PS members argue that having a valid ID is essential to ensuring the legitimacy of the voting process.

On the other side, the Democrats argue that this requirement may disenfranchise many emigrants who do not have updated documents. They contend that insisting on unexpired IDs will limit participation and prevent many Albanians living abroad from exercising their voting rights.

What’s next: The Commission’s meeting was marked by raised voices and tense exchanges, as members from both sides defended their positions. The argument escalated throughout the session, leading to the intervention of Chairwoman Ilirjana Nano. She ultimately decided to adjourn the meeting, postponing further discussions to another date in hopes of finding a compromise.