At stake in this election:

• 140 seats in the Parliament of Albania (Kuvendi i Shqipërisë)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President of the Republic Bujar Faik NISHANI
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA **
• Assembly: Albania has a unicameral Parliament of Albania (Kuvendi i Shqipërisë) with 140 seats.

** The Prime Minister is chosen by the leading party, or coalition, in parliament and is approved by presidential decree.

Description of electoral system:

• The President of the Republic is elected by parliament to serve a 5-year term.

• Prime Minister is approved by the president with the approval of the parliament.
• In the Parliament of Albania (Kuvendi i Shqipërisë) 140 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 4-year terms.***

*** There are 12 multi-member constituencies corresponding to the country's 12 administrative regions. Within any constituency, parties must meet a threshold of 3%, and pre-election coalitions must meet a threshold of 5%.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Democratic Party of Albania / Partia Demokratike (PD)*
  • Leader: Sali BERISHA
  • Seats won in last election: 68
• Party: Socialist Party of Albania / Partia Socialiste (PS)**
  • Leader: Edi RAMA
  • Seats won in last election: 65
• Party: Socialist Movement for Integration / Lëvizja Socialiste për Integrim (LSI)
  • Leader: Ilir META
  • Seats won in last election: 4
• Party: Republican Party of Albania / Partia Republikane (PR)
  • Leader: Fatmir MEDIU
  • Seats won in last election: 1
• Party: The Unity for Human Rights Party / Partia Bashkimi për të Drejtat e Njeriut (PBDNJ)
  • Leader: Vangjel DULE
  • Seats won in last election: 1
• Party: The Party for Justice, Integration and Unity / Partia për Drejtesi Integrim dhe Unitet (PDIU)
  • Leader: Shpëtim IDRIZI
  • Seats won in last election: 1
• Party: Red and Black Alliance (AK) / Aleanca Kuq e Zi
  • Leader: Kreshnik SPAHIU
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Party: New Democratic Spirit (FRD) / Fryma e Re Demokratike
  • Leader: Bamir TOPI
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Independent(s): Independents*********
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in last election: 0

* The party is a member of the electoral Alliance for Employment, Prosperity and Integration / Aleanca pёr Punёsim, Mirёqenie dhe Integrim, which consists of 25 parties, led by the center-right PD party. The coalition also includes the Republican Party of Albania / Partia Republikane and the Party for Justice, Integration and Unity / Partia Bashkimi për të Drejtat e Njeriut.
** The party has joined the Alliance for a European Albania / Aleanca pёr Shqipёrinё Evropiane which is a broad tent coalition consisting of 37 opposition parties, led by the center-left PS party. Other coalition partners include the Socialist Movement for Integration / Lëvizja Socialiste për Integrim and the Unity for Human Rights Party / Partia për Drejtesi Integrim dhe Unitet
********* 3 independent candidates will contest the election, one each in Vlora, Tirana and Fier.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 3,011,405 (May 2013 est.)
• Registered Voters: 3,271,885 (June 2013 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 1,450,810 (2013)

·         Is Albania a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Albania ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (11 May 1994)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 25 (17.86%) (2013)

·         Human Development Index Position: 85 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Albania a signatory to CRPD: Yes (22 December 2009)

·         Has Albania ratified CRPD: Yes (11 February 2013)

·         Population with a disability: 451,710 (est.)