CEC awards seat to Xhuveli, but “Nisma Shqipëria Bëhet” implodes in mandate feud

The Central Election Commission (CEC) today confirmed Kleana Xhuveli—cousin of movement leader Adriatik Lapaj—as the rightful holder of the sole Tirana mandate won by the “Nisma Shqipëria Bëhet” coalition, a partnership between Lapaj’s Shqipëria Bëhet and Endri Shabani’s Nisma Thurje. The decision ends a three-month dispute over that single seat—and underscores the collapse of two parties that vowed to break Albania’s Socialist–Democrat duopoly.

Why is this important: Voters who backed “Nisma Shqipëria Bëhet” for genuine alternatives have watched those promises unravel into a bitter family feud, accusations of fund abuse and even threats of violence. The ruling not only seals the coalition’s fate but also warns other newcomers that without firm structures, idealistic movements can implode under old-style politics.

Context: In May’s parliamentary vote, “Nisma Shqipëria Bëhet” garnered roughly 70,000 votes nationwide yet secured just one Tirana seat. Ironically, their closed candidate list featured mostly relatives—Lapaj’s cousin Kleana Xhuveli at number four and Shabani’s uncle Zeqir Kordhoni at nine. An informal pre-election pact called on all listed family members to resign so the mandate would pass to the highest-voted open-list candidate, expected to be Lapaj himself. Lapaj even vowed to quit politics if the coalition won only one seat.

That fragile arrangement shattered on July 15 when Kordhoni delivered a notarized letter to the CEC:

“Through this statement signed before a notary today, I wish to inform the Central Election Commission of my full intention to exercise the function of deputy if declared winner.”

An enraged Lapaj accused Shabani of orchestrating the move to grab the mandate for Nisma Thurje, denouncing both uncle and nephew:

“They’ve mobilized every device to keep me out of Parliament. You miserable lot—neither shakedowns nor threats will force me into silence. Zeqiri and Endri Shabani will not enjoy any mandate. God help them!”

Shabani initially distanced himself, countering that the ‘Shqipëria Bëhet’ mandate was never Adriatik’s to begin with since he publicly vowed to resign. He also claimed that he could not control Kordhoni who was acting in this way after being threatened by Lapaj. Within days, both Shabani and Kordhoni claimed they’d received additional threatening voice-messages from Lapaj’s supporters and his alleged cousins—one ominously warning, “It will cost you dearly… we won’t ever leave Adriatik alone.”

Fallout: Amid the chaos, a former Nisma Thurje secretary-general went public accusing Shabani of “chronic theft,” alleging he falsified party statutes and siphoned thousands of euros of public campaign funds. Disgusted founding members have begun resigning in protest and the former leader of the party has also publicly condemned him.

Today’s CEC decision—based on Xhuveli’s timely formal resignation—sums up the coalition’s downfall. Once champions of reform, the partners devolved into family patronage and cynical procedural maneuvering. Supporters are left feeling betrayed. One wrote, “They promised change for ordinary people, but they’re destroying each other over scraps.” Another quipped, “This isn’t politics; it’s a soap opera with too many villains.”

What’s next: Lapaj and Shabani now face uphill battles to salvage their political futures. Lapaj has signaled legal challenges to tighten electoral-code loopholes:

“Today’s outcome highlights loopholes that must be closed. We set out to change politics; our work is far from over.”

Shabani, sounding more resigned, admitted:

“Our mandate fight began as a struggle against old-style politics. Yet we ended up replicating the same deals and pressures. That’s the real tragedy.”

A cautionary tale: The “Shqipëria Bëhet” saga offers a stark lesson: if challenger parties wish to avoid becoming caricatures of the status quo, they must invest in internal democracy, clear statutes and uncompromising transparency. Otherwise, they risk following in the footsteps of this ill-fated coalition—endearing themselves briefly, then collapsing spectacularly under the weight of their own contradictions.