REFLECTIONS WHILE CHOOSING AN ELECTORAL SYSTEM - THE CASE OF ALBANIA

Abstract

This paper aims to present some reflections and legal issues that are crucial and
should be considered when choosing an electoral system. The paper will present current
Albanian legislation and practices in the process of conferring, choosing and implementing
the electoral systems in Albania as well as citizens rights and preferences with regards to
these issues, as a fundamental pillar of democracy and rule of law.
Albania, as many other post communist countries is going through a long process of
democratization of life and institutions and is also facing challenges on its road to EU
integration, to tolerant and governments and open-minded society. Elections are very crucial
political processes for electing citizens to run the country and take all major decisions on the
behalf of the others. Choosing an electoral system according to which votes of citizens will be
transformed into seats of Parliament or offices for elected officials is a very complex process
that requires consideration from all actors such as political parties, citizens, group of
interests, non governmental organizations etc. These actors, being political or non-political
ones will need to come up with an elaborated decision for choosing the most appropriate
electoral system for a country, since there are many of them implemented all around the
world. Factors, elements, issues, citizen’s interests, elections formulas and features to be
considered when choosing an electoral system, as a matter of choice will be presented more
deeply in this paper.