As Berisha cries foul, world leaders endorse Albania’s elections and flock to Tirana for EU summit
As Sali Berisha continues to claim Albania’s May 11 elections were rigged and prepares a domestic and international campaign to discredit the results, the world is offering a starkly different response. In what appears to be a coordinated chorus of recognition, congratulation, and strategic engagement, world leaders have hailed the outcome and are descending on Tirana this week for the sixth European Political Community Summit.
Why this is important: The juxtaposition is hard to miss: while the former prime minister and current opposition leader insists the vote was manipulated by “a narco-regime,” international institutions and Western heads of state are embracing the legitimacy of the elections. Leaders from across Europe, including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, have publicly congratulated Prime Minister Edi Rama on what they describe as a clear and democratic victory.
Context: The European Political Community Summit on May 16 is set to bring 47 heads of state and government to Albania’s capital. The agenda focuses on continental security, energy cooperation, and European enlargement—issues where Albania is positioning itself as a constructive and credible player. France’s Macron will stay for a bilateral visit following the summit. Britain’s Starmer will arrive early for what will be the first-ever bilateral visit of a UK prime minister to Albania. Their presence reinforces the global signal: Albania is being welcomed, not isolated.
In contrast, Berisha and his allies are doubling down. At a late-night emergency meeting, the Democratic Party’s leadership described the election as “stolen by a criminal universe” and accused the government of vote-buying and systemic manipulation. Berisha has promised to submit what he claims is evidence to U.S. and European authorities, while organizing a protest in Tirana on May 17 to contest the outcome.
What else: This contrast between internal opposition claims and global endorsement is further sharpened by the symbolic and political weight of the summit. Beyond congratulatory messages, EU leaders like Von der Leyen and Council President Antonio Costa have emphasized Albania’s progress toward EU integration under Rama’s leadership. Marta Kos, the EU enlargement commissioner, called this “a real moment for enlargement” and praised Albania’s democratic performance.
The gap between Berisha’s rhetoric and international response poses a dilemma for the Democratic Party. Even as it insists the elections were rigged, the global spotlight is fixed on Rama’s government as a host of one of the most consequential diplomatic gatherings in the Balkans this decade.
What’s next: Berisha is expected to travel to Brussels to present his claims to European allies. But with no international monitoring body backing his allegations, and with the EPC Summit underway in Tirana, the narrative of electoral fraud is being increasingly drowned out by scenes of diplomacy, partnership, and celebration.
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