Albania Funds Parties Ahead of Election

Tirana | 25 May 2009 | Albanian parliamentary political parties will receive a funding boost of 65 million lek (500,000 euros) ahead of the June 28 parliamentary elections.

The two largest parties in parliament, the Democrats of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the Socialists of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama, will receive the lion’s share of funds, but smaller parties that secured a larger number of MPs in 2005 due to trading votes will also benefit.

The Republican Party, PR, and the Social Democrats, PSD, that have garnered between one and two per cent support in all the recent pre-election polls, will be awarded nearly 15 million lek (120,000 euros).

Democrats and Socialists alike had been accused of corruption and of abusing tactical voting under the previous electoral system to boost the number of seats won by their small-party allies, such as the PSD and the PR, in order to produce stronger coalitions.

The system was much criticised for leading to the phenomenon locally nicknamed the “Mega-Dushku” effect. This refers to a village of some 10,000 people in south-central Albania that elected nine deputies in the 2001 parliamentary elections and emerged as a symbol of the system’s shortcomings.

The system routinely backfired and led to instability, as small parties bargained for favours, slowed the pace of reforms, or switched allegiance.

In late December the Democrats and the Socialists voted in a new electoral code that changed the voting system eliminating the scheme. However, when it comes to allocating campaign funds the number of MPs secured in the last election is still valid. Source: Balkaninsight

Short URL: http://www.albanianeconomy.com/news/?p=1877

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