Defeated at home, DP turns to Washington with $6m lobbying push
The Democratic Party of Albania (DP), facing one of the worst electoral defeats in its history, has taken its complaints over the May 11 elections to Washington, through its high-profile lobbying campaign.
Why is this important: Instead of conceding the outcome of a race it lost by a historic margin, PD is doubling down by calling for an international investigation and the installation of a technical government. These claims are being pushed abroad despite the party having yet to present a single verifiable piece of evidence to support allegations of vote manipulation.
Context: The lobbying firm Continental Strategy filed a document with the U.S. Department of Justice on May 16 on behalf of the PD, outlining what it calls a “preliminary report” on alleged electoral manipulation.
This move comes amid mounting domestic criticism that DP, under the leadership of Sali Berisha, is seeking external validation to justify a defeat that analysts attribute primarily to internal mismanagement, closed candidate lists, and Berisha’s own legal troubles.
Despite public claims by Berisha that he possesses “thousands of documents” proving fraud, none have been made public.
What the document says: The filing accuses Prime Minister Edi Rama of “desperate” political repression to secure a fourth term. It claims the justice system was used to attack opposition figures including Berisha, Ilir Meta, Fatmir Mediu, Ervin Salianji, and Fredi Beleri — all arrested or investigated under corruption or abuse of office charges.
“In recent months before the elections, political repression escalated, marked by politically motivated trials, arrests, and detentions of opposition figures… in blatant violation of fundamental political rights and democratic norms.”
The document also alleges that opposition deputies and mayors were imprisoned or intimidated as part of a broader campaign.
In its filing, PD calls for:
- An international investigation into the May 11 elections
- The formation of a technical government to advance Albania’s EU agenda and organize what it calls “free and fair elections”
The lobbying effort is part of a reported $6 million contract with the firm Continental Strategy, led by known Republican operatives in Washington.
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