Berisha asks European conservatives to send fact-finding mission to Tirana over “rigged” elections

Sali Berisha traveled to Brussels on Tuesday to demand that the European People’s Party (EPP) send a fact-finding mission to Albania to investigate his claims of election manipulation. The request was approved by the EPP Secretary General and will apply not only to Albania, but also to Libya and Moldova.

Why this is important: Berisha’s refusal to recognize electoral defeats has become a defining pattern over his 35-year political career. His latest claims continue this pattern—calling May 11 a “farce,” even though the preliminary OSCE/ODIHR report and key international actors, including the U.S. and EU, recognized the elections.

Context: Berisha’s credibility crisis goes beyond public elections. Even internal contests within his Democratic Party (PD) have been plagued with allegations of manipulation. The most notorious case was the 2013 leadership race, where Lulzim Basha—then Berisha’s handpicked successor—was declared the winner despite strong grassroots support for rival candidate Sokol Olldashi. Critics claim the result was pre-determined by Berisha’s inner circle.

When Basha later expelled Berisha from the parliamentary group after his U.S. “non grata” designation, Berisha launched a full-blown internal coup to reclaim the party, culminating in the violent storming of PD headquarters on January 8, 2022.

What happened: Ahead of the May 11 elections, Berisha promised democratic primaries to choose candidates—an idea enshrined in the PD statute. But when primary winners did not align with his preferences, he sidelined them. The most voted candidates were either excluded or placed low on open lists, while loyalists secured top positions on the secure closed lists.

Insiders say this was by design. Even before the elections, political analysts and voices within the opposition warned that Berisha had “pre-lost” the race—and stacked the party with figures who would never demand his resignation. And that’s exactly what happened. Post-election calls for his resignation evaporated, and Berisha launched a full media campaign declaring the election illegitimate.

What’s next: Berisha says analysis of the defeat can wait. His current strategy is to internationalize the issue, framing the May 11 election as part of a broader “state capture” by the ruling Socialist Party. He hopes the EPP mission will validate his claims and apply pressure on Brussels. But given his history of contesting every loss, the move risks being viewed as political theatre rather than a serious effort to restore democratic integrity.