After a series of episodes that for many within the Democratic Party were read as political use and then marginalization, Ilir Alimehmeti seems to be returning to discussions about the Municipality of Tirana.
Initially, he was rumored as a candidate for Tirana through the primaries, then he was included in the open list of the parliamentary elections, where he ended up outside the Assembly. Now, as the 2027 local elections are being discussed, Alimehmeti says he is ready to run, if that is the choice of the Democratic Party.
"How will the DP decide? So, I have given my availability in time. They will decide, the leadership structures will gather, they will discuss it, they will also see from a strategic point of view how they will politically approach the 2027 elections," he said.
His statement comes at a time when the opposition still does not have a clear strategy for the upcoming race in the capital, while discussions continue within the DP about the figures who could face the majority candidate.
The return of Alimehmet's name to this debate raises another question that has long been circulating among the opposition: is the DP giving a real chance this time to the figures it has promoted before, or does history risk repeating itself?
