This Wednesday is expected to mark the end of what the Democratic Party has called the “renewal” process. The National Council will elect the new leadership team with which Sali Berisha will lead the blue headquarters for the next four years, voting for the secretary general, vice-chairmen, secretariat and Appeals Commission.
On paper it seems like an open race, but the experience of recent years has shown that in the Democratic Party, candidates often serve more to create the idea of competition than to produce an unpredictable result. Once again, although Belind Këlliçi is seen as one of the strongest names for the post of deputy mayor, it remains to be seen whether the race will be decided by the vote or by the preference of the mayor, who has traditionally privileged his loyalists in key positions.
Sources within the DP indicate that Flamur Noka will seek a second term as secretary general. Meanwhile, several names are expected to compete for the three deputy chairmen's positions, while Gazment Bardhi is part of the ex officio leadership. Agron Gjekmarkaj and Oerd Bylykbashi have announced their withdrawal, while Luçiano Boçi is expected to seek a second term. Belind Këlliçi, Bardh Spahia and Klevis Balliu are also rumored to be on the list of candidates.
The statute requires that the two seats left vacant by Gjekmarkaj and Bylykbashi be filled with women, which has increased speculation that one of the new vice presidents could be Albana Vokshi.
If this happens, a long chapter in the Democratic Women's Forum will be closed. After about 20 years at the helm of the forum, a period during which no competition for this position has taken place, Vokshi is expected to step down from the leadership to ascend to the party's top spot.
Change is also expected in the Youth Forum. Besart Xhaferraj, who has led the FRPD for years and is now close to 36 years old, is expected not to run for re-election, paving the way for the election of a new leader for the youth organization.
Ivi Kaso, who has held the position of Secretary for Legal and Electoral Affairs for 12 years, has also withdrawn from the race. Meanwhile, Adriana Kalaja has also announced that she will not run for re-election for the Appeals Commission.
By electing new structures, Berisha aims to officially close the party's "renewal" process. The question that remains is whether this renewal will truly produce a new leadership, or simply a redistribution of positions among names that have been circulating in the same leadership circle for years.
