Rama tells international media his election win is a mandate for EU path: “We are beyond an absolute majority”

In a series of interviews with international media following his sweeping May 11 election victory, Prime Minister Edi Rama presented his fourth consecutive term as a historic mandate to push forward Albania’s European integration and democratic reform agenda. Speaking to Italy’s La Repubblica and Poland’s public broadcaster TVP World, Rama emphasized that the election result should be understood as a moment of national alignment with European values and aspirations.

Why this is important: Rama’s post-election outreach to European audiences reinforces Albania’s positioning as a committed EU candidate country. His framing of the Socialist Party’s win as a moment for political maturity and reform seeks to consolidate international legitimacy while pressuring the opposition to accept the outcome.

Context: In an interview with the Italian program Metropolis, aired by the La Repubblica media group, Rama described the result as “a truly historic outcome.” He added:

“We are beyond the absolute majority, and this is a truly historic result. We are at a historic moment because for us, becoming part of this united Europe means not just being Europeans—we already are, because we are in the heart of Europe—but having European rights. That means no longer being a foreign people, a second-class people.”

Addressing the opposition’s refusal to recognize the results, Rama said:

“I never speak about the opposition in a foreign language, but I’ll make an exception to tell you that contesting the result is part of the political landscape in Albania. There hasn’t been a single electoral process in the last 35 years where those who lost didn’t claim it was due to injustices.”

Rama also offered a note of advice:

“Generally, we Albanians—just like you Italians—don’t accept defeat, and we blame someone else when we come in second place in elections. Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do about this. They need to come to their senses, while I will move forward.”

In a separate interview with Poland’s TVP World, Rama described Albania as a “blessed country” and emphasized the urgency of making the most of the EU accession momentum:

“The roadmap is on the table, negotiations are ongoing, and everything looks good for us at the moment because Europe has opened the door. We must take advantage of this moment. That door is not always open, so we must use this opportunity well. I always say we are lucky to have the EU at our doorstep.”

He also responded to critical points raised by international observers regarding the election:

“I think these were the best elections ever in terms of calm, maturity, and tranquility in the process. But on the other hand, we know we are far from being perfect, and improvement is our motto. We must improve and not blame.”

What else: Rama hailed SPAK’s work as one of the most important achievements of his governance:

“For the first time, Albania is experiencing something called equality before the law. It’s never been like this. We must make this irreversible, and that’s why we need to join the European Union.”

Looking ahead to the European Political Community Summit hosted in Tirana on May 16, Rama said Albania would do everything to be “an unforgettable host.”