Powers, duties and responsibilities[edit]

The Parliament's powers are defined by the Constitution of Albania. The

Parliament represents the citizens of the Republic of Albania, it acts as the country's legislature.
It convenes regularly in two sessions each year, the first session on the third Monday of January
and the second session on the first Monday of September.[24] However, extraordinary sessions
may be called by the President of Albania, the Prime Minister of Albania or by one-fifth of the
parliamentary members.[25] Further the sessions are open to the public.[26] The parliament decides
through a majority votes, in the presence of more than half of its members, except for cases
where the constitution provides for a qualified majority. However, certain decisions are made
by three-fifths majority votes.[27]
Other powers of the parliament include defining economic, legal and political relations in
Albania; preservation of Albania's natural and cultural heritage and its utilisation; and forming
alliances with other nations. The parliament elect the President by secret ballot and without
debate by three-fifths of the parliamentary members. The president addresses messages to the
Parliament and sets the date of parliamentary elections, for the organs of local power and for the
conduct of referenda. The president appoints the Prime Minister on the proposal of the
parliament; if the Prime Minister is not approved, the parliament elects another Prime Minister
within 10 days. As specified by the Constitution, no foreign military force may be situated in, or
pass through, the borders of Albania, except by a law approved by the parliament. Due to that, it
has the right to deploy Albanian Armed Forces outside its borders.[28]

Composition[edit]
Main article: Elections in Albania

The Constitution of Albania mandates that the Parliament consists of at least 140 members,

elected by a secret ballot, of which 100 members are elected directly.[1] The term of office is four
years, but elections can be held earlier earlier in the relatively rare case that the Parliament is
dissolved prematurely by the President.[29] The Parliament can be dissolved by the President on
the recommendation of the Prime Minister if the latter has lost a vote of confidence in the
Parliament, if the recommendation is made and accepted before the Parliament acts to elect a
new Prime Minister.[30] Elections for the Parliament are held 30 to 60 days before the end of the
mandate, and at most 45 days after its dissolution.
The electoral system is closed list proportional representation. There are 12 multi-
member constituencies, corresponding to the 12 counties of the country. Seats are allocated using
the d'Hondt method with a 2.5% electoral threshold. Within any constituency, parties must meet
a threshold of 3 percent of votes, and pre-election coalitions must meet a threshold of 5 percent
of votes.[31][32]
31st Legislature[edit]
Main article: 2021 Albanian parliamentary election

The two largest political parties in Albania are the Socialist Party (PS) and the Democratic
Party (PD). The last elections were held on 25 April 2021. Following is a list of political parties
and alliances with representation in the Parliament by the 25 April 2021 elections:
 Name Abbr. Founded Leader Ideology MPs

Socialist Party Social democracy, Third

of Albania 15 August 74 /
PS Edi Rama Way, Progressive, Centre-left, Western, Moderni
Partia Socialiste e 1991 140
sm, Social liberalism
Shqipërisë

Democratic
Party of
Albania &
Alliance for 19 Liberal
Change PD & Lulzim 59 /
December conservatism, Conservatism, Nationalism, Pro-
Partia AN Basha 140
1990 Europeanism, Centre-right, Economic liberalism
Demokratike e
Shqipërisë dhe
Aleanca për
Ndryshim

Socialist
Movement for 23
Monika 4/
Integration LSI September Social democracy, Progressivism, Centre-left
Kryemadhi 140
Lëvizja Socialiste 2004
për Intigrim

Social
Democratic
Party of Albania 23 April 3/
PSD Tom Doshi Social democracy, Centre-left
Partia 1991 140
Socialdemokrate e
Shqipërisë

Political parties divided according to post-electoral seats in the X Legislature:

Coalition Party Seats

Socialist Party (PS) 74

Democratic Party (PD) 49
Alliance for
 Republican Party (PR) 3

Party for Justice, Integration and Unity (PDIU) 2

Environmentalist Agrarian Party (PAA) 1

Change Legality Movement Party (PLL) 1

Movement for National Development (LZHK) 1

Unity for Human Rights Party (PBDNJ) 1

Total seats 58

Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) 4

Social Democratic Party (PSD) 3

Independent 1

Total 140

Historical composition[edit]
Since 1991[edit]
  PPSh   PSSh   PD   Omonoia   PSD   PR   PBDNJ   PDK   PBK   PDR   PAD   PAA   LSI   PDIPDIU   Others   Independent

1991 169

1992 38
1996 10 122

1997 101

2001 73

2005 42 56

2009 65

2013 65

2017 74

2021 74

Committees of the Parliament[edit]

Parliamentary committees investigate specific matters of policy or government administration or
performance that cannot be directly handled by the Parliament due to their volume. The
committees provide an opportunity for organisations and individuals to participate
in policy making and to have their views placed on the public record and considered as part of
the decision-making process.
The Parliament has the following committees:[33]

 Committee on Legal Affairs, Public Administration and Human Rights

 Committee on European Integration
 Committee on Foreign Policy
 Committee on Economy and Finance
 Committee on National Security
 Committee on Production Activities, Trade and Environment
 Committee on Labour, Social Affairs and Health
 Committee on Education and Public Information Media

Legislatures (1920–present)[edit]
No. Legislature Mandate MPs Parties

1st National Council 27 March 1920 20 December 1920 37 0

30 September
2nd National Council 21 April 1921 65 2
1923

3rd Constitutional Assembly 21 January 1924 2 June 1924 95 2

46/1
4th Deputies Chamber – Senate 1 June 1925 7 June 1928 0
6

5th Constituent Assembly/Parliament 25 August 1928 11 May 1932 49 0

21 November 16 November
6th Parliament 54 0
1932 1936

7th Parliament 10 February 1937 7 April 1939 57 0

8th Constitutional Assembly 12 April 1939 3 April 1940 162 1

9th Superior Fascist Corporative Council 17 April 1940 31 July 1943 69 1

14 September
10th National Assembly/Parliament 16 October 1943 193 0
1944

– Anti-Fascist National Liberation Council 28 May 1944 22 December 1945 119 1

Constitutional Assembly/People's
11th 10 January 1946 21 January 1950 101 1
Assembly
12th People's Assembly 28 June 1950 14 April 1954 116 1

13th People's Assembly 19 July 1954 21 February 1958 129 1

14th People's Assembly 21 June 1958 3 June 1962 180 1

15th People's Assembly 14 July 1962 12 March 1966 210 1

16th People's Assembly 9 September 1966 4 May 1970 234 1

20 November
17th People's Assembly 19 June 1974 261 1
1970

18th People's Assembly 28 October 1974 21 February 1978 238 1

19th People's Assembly 25 December 1978 14 July 1982 250 1

22 November
20th People's Assembly 10 January 1987 250 1
1982

13 November
21st People's Assembly 19 February 1987 250 1
1990

22n
Constitutional Assembly 15 April 1991 4 February 1992 250 3
d

23rd People's Assembly 6 April 1992 29 March 1996 130 5

24th People's Assembly 1 July 1996 15 May 1997 140 5

25th Assembly 23 July 1997 17 May 2001 150 13

26th Assembly 3 September 2001 20 May 2005 135 12

27th Assembly 2 September 2005 14 May 2009 140 12

28th Assembly 7 September 2009 25 May 2013 140 6

29th Assembly 9 September 2013 8 May 2017 140 6

30th Assembly 9 September 2017 7 July 2021 140 5

10 September
31st Assembly Incumbent 140 10
2021

Opening session presiding MPs[edit]

Date Presiding MP Age

27 March 1920 Mytesim Këlliçi (53/54)

21 April 1921 Pandeli Evangjeli (62)

21 January 1924 Petro Poga (63/64)

1 June 1925 Jorgji Çako (76/77)

25 August 1928 Pandeli Evangjeli (69)

21 November 1932 Petro Poga (71/72)

10 February 1937 Petro Poga (76/77)

12 April 1939 Xhafer Ypi (59)

17 April 1940 Terenc Toçi (60)

16 October 1943 Lef Nosi (66)

10 January 1946 Petraq Popa (67)

28 June 1950 Petraq Popa (72)

19 July 1954 Aleksandër Xhuvani (74)

21 June 1958 Koço Tashko (58)

14 July 1962 Spiro Moisiu (62)

9 September 1966 Spiro Moisiu (66)

20 November 1970 Spiro Moisiu (70)

28 October 1974 Zylyftar Veleshnja (72)

25 December 1978 Pilo Peristeri (69)

22 November 1982 Shefqet Peçi (76)

19 February 1987 Spiro Koleka (78)

15 April 1991 Adil Çarçani (69)

6 April 1992 Pjetër Arbnori (57)

1 July 1996 Sabri Godo (67)

23 July 1997 Dritëro Agolli (66)

3 September 2001 Servet Pëllumbi (65)

2 September 2005 Lufter Xhuveli (64)

7 September 2009 Fatos Beja (61)

9 September 2013 Namik Dokle (67)

9 September 2017 Besnik Baraj (61)

10 September
Luljeta Bozo (78)
2021

See also[edit]
 Politics of Albania
 Constitution of Albania

Notes[edit]
 1. ^ A direct dictionary translation would be "Assembly." [21][22] However, the Albanian government uses the
translation "Parliament."[23]

References[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to:a b "1998 Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. p. 12. Article 64 - 1. The Assembly
consists of 140 deputies. One hundred deputies are elected directly in single member electoral zones with an
approximately equal number of voters. Forty deputies are elected from multi-name lists of parties or party
coalitions according to their ranking
2. ^ "1998 Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. p. 1. Article 1 - 3.: Governance is based on a system
of elections that are free, equal, general and periodic.
3. ^ "1998 Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. p. 1. Article 2 - 1 & 2.: Sovereignty in the Republic of
Albania belongs to the people.; The people exercise sovereignty through their representatives or directly.
4. ^ "1998 Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. p. Article 67.
5. ^ "CRL Foreign Official Gazette Database – Albania". apps.crl.edu. Archived from the original on 22 August
2017. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
6. ^ "Kuvendi i Lezhës (1444)". letersia.fajtori.com (in Albanian).
7. ^ Shkurtaj, Gjovalin (2004). Etnografi e të folurit të shqipes: (përmbledhje studimesh socio dhe
etnolinguistike) (in Albanian). Tiranë: Shtëpia Botuese e Librit Universitar. p. 89. ISBN 978-99927-0-299-
4. OCLC 123029307.
8. ^ Jump up to:a b Hasluck, Margaret (3 December 2015). The Unwritten Law in Albania. Cambridge University
Press. ISBN 978-1-107-58693-2.
9. ^ Kanuni i Lekë Dukagjinit, Chapter 146 "The Men of Albanian Mountains in the Assembly" & Article 1106.
10. ^ Zhelyazkova, Antonina (2000). "Albania and Albanian Identities". International Center for Minority Studies
and Intercultural Relations. Archived from the original on 24 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011. calling
together an all-Albanian congress. On 28 November 1912, delegates from all over the country gathered in Vlora
11. ^ Langer, William Leonard; Ploetz, Karl Julius (1940). Encyclopedia of World History. Houghton Mifflin
company. ISBN 0-395-65237-5. Retrieved 24 January 2011. Proclamation of Albanian independence by an
assembly at Valona which rejected the grant of autonomy made by Turkish government
12. ^ "Statuti Organik i Shqipërisë" [Organic Statute of Albania] (PDF) (in Albanian). 10 April 1914. Chapter IV.
13. ^ Gjurmime albanologjike: Seria e shkencave historike (in Albanian). Instituti. 1985.
14. ^ Çami, Muin (1969). Lufta çlirimtare antiimperialiste e popullit shqiptar në vitet 1918-1920 (in Albanian).
Universiteti Shtetëror i Tiranës, Instituti i Historisë dhe i Gjuhësisë.
15. ^ Studime historike (in Albanian). Akademia e Shkencave, Instituti i Historisë. 1990.
16. ^ Stavrianos, Leften Stavros (2000). The Balkans Since 1453. Hurst. ISBN 978-1-85065-551-0.
17. ^ Jelavich, Barbara (1983). History of the Balkans: Twentieth century. 2. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-
0-521-27459-3.
18. ^ Jump up to:a b Austin, Robert C. (2012). Founding a Balkan State: Albania's Experiment with Democracy, 1920-
1925. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-1-4426-4435-9. JSTOR 10.3138/j.ctt2tv0q6.
19. ^ "Partitë politike në Shqipëri". ShtetiWeb. 4 September 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
20. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g "Kronologji e legjislaturave në Shqipëri (Chronology of legislatures in Albania)" (in
Albanian). Albanian Parliament. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
21. ^ Hysa, Ramazan (2003). Albanian-English, English-Albanian Standard Dictionary. New York, NY: Hippocrene
Books. p. 184. ISBN 978-0-7818-0979-5.
22. ^ Leonard, Newmark, ed. (1999). Albanian-English Dictionary. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 431–
432. ISBN 0-19-860322-3.
23. ^ "Republic of Albania Parliament". Albanian Parliament. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
24. ^ "1998 Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. p. 14. The Assembly conducts its annual work in two
sessions. The first session begins on the third Monday of January and the second session on the first Monday of
September
25. ^ "1998 Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. The Assembly meets in extraordinary session when
requested by the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister or by one-fifth of all the deputies
 26. ^ "1998 Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. p. 15. Meetings of the Assembly are open.
27. ^ "1998 Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. p. 15. There are approved by three-fifths of all
members of the Assembly
28. ^ "1998 Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. p. 3. No foreign military force may be situated in, or
pass through, the Albanian territory, and no Albanian military force may be sent abroad, except by a law
approved by a majority of all members of the Assembly.
29. ^ "1998 Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. p. 12. The Assembly is elected for four years.
30. ^ "1998 Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. p. 19. If the Assembly fails to elect a new Prime
Minister, the President of the Republic dissolves the Assembly.
31. ^ "IFES Election Guide - Country Profile: Albania". electionguide.org. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
32. ^ "Part XII Allocation of Seats". The Electoral Code of the Republic of Albania (English translation by OSCE).
p. 140. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
33. ^ "Komisionet". parlament.al (in Albanian).

External links[edit]
 Official website
Coordinates:  41°19′34″N 19°49′23″E

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