“Majestic Albania” closing rally in Elbasan ends in “majestic” brawl between DP supporters

A violent altercation at the Democratic Party’s final campaign rally in Elbasan has cast a shadow over the closing days of Albania’s parliamentary election campaign. What should have been a show of unity and strength for the “Majestic Albania” coalition ended with ugly scenes of violence between DP supporters and the son of one of the party’s key figures hospitalized. The incident renewed questions about internal rivalries within the Democratic Party (PD).

Why is this important: The incident underscores the growing internal tensions within the PD, which is under intense pressure ahead of the May 11 election. The party has been riven by internal rivalries and is facing grim projections in the elections, with all surveys predicting a landslide for the ruling Socialists. The clash appears to reflect not just personal animosity but a deeper crisis of morale and cohesion inside the main opposition party.

Context: According to witnesses and preliminary reports, a physical confrontation broke out between supporters of rival Democratic Party clans during the closing rally in Elbasan. Though details remain murky, it is confirmed that the son of a prominent DP MP, Luçiano Boçi, once the key figure in Elbasan but now running in Shkodra, was injured in the brawl and required hospitalization.

While the party’s local branch issued a statement downplaying the incident as a “banal dispute between young people,” others close to the individuals involved, including the mother of the injured supporter and wife of Mr. Boçi, insist the motive was political. The altercation took place amid growing frustration within PD ranks over poor polling and mounting internal competition.

Under Albania’s electoral code, parliamentary mandates are awarded through a proportional representation system that includes both closed and open lists. This means some candidates are guaranteed seats based on party performance, while others must secure personal votes to enter parliament. In DP’s case, projections suggest that in a number of districts, the party may not receive enough support for open-list candidates to win mandates has led to fierce competition between open list candidates in the field. The Elbasan episode marks the most serious instance of those tensions boiling over into violence.

Open-list competition among Socialist Party candidates has also been intense, but it has remained largely out of public view, with only one minor altercation between party militants reported early in the campaign.

What else: The brawl comes as the Socialist Party appears on track for a comfortable win, with polls indicating the ruling party is poised to secure a historic fourth term. The Democratic Party, meanwhile, is struggling to project unity or momentum. With morale low and expectations of defeat mounting, the events in Elbasan may be symptomatic of a party turning inward as pressure builds.