Albania elects new head of state: first army chief, now president

Albania’s former army chief is the country’s new president. After a difficult search for candidates, Bajram Begaj was elected by the parliament in Tirana. Prime Minister Rama had fallen out with his predecessor.

Albania has a new head of state. The parliament in Tirana elected the 55-year-old Bajram Begaj as the country’s president. In the fourth ballot, he received the necessary majority of the 140 MPs with 78 votes. He was nominated by Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Three ballots had failed in the days before. Saturday’s vote was the first in which the 50 percent majority in parliament held by the Socialists was sufficient for a successful election.

Dispute between Rama and Meta

On July 25, Begaj will replace President Ilir Meta, who was elected five years ago. This too had been supported by the socialists, but had fallen out with the power-conscious Rama. An impeachment procedure initiated by the Socialists shortly before the end of Meta’s term in office failed because the constitutional court did not consider his dismissal to be justified.

So far, Begaj has been the army chief. He resigned shortly before his election. The Albanian constitution prohibits military personnel from holding high public offices.

As president, however, he is now the supreme commander of the armed forces. He can also nominate three of the nine judges of the Constitutional Court. The presidency in Albania is largely symbolic.