Election recommendations: ODIHR experts present their final report in Tirana

Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented their final report on Albania’s 2025 parliamentary elections in Tirana and discussed key findings and recommendations. 

ODIHR experts discussed recent efforts by key oversight bodies to address priority recommendations, in particular the need to address longstanding ODIHR recommendations as well as existing legal ambiguities and inconsistencies. Further attention was given to recommendations related to strengthening campaign finance oversight, reinforcing the independence and effectiveness of the election administration, improving safeguards against the misuse of administrative resources, and enhancing the media environment.

During meetings with representatives of Albania's Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Central Election Commission, the members of Ad Hoc Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reform, the Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime, the Audiovisual Media Authority and representatives of civil society, ODIHR experts also outlined potential areas for ODIHR’s engagement with national institutions, in particular the Ad hoc Parliamentary Committee on Electoral reform, and offered assistance to bring the electoral process closer in line with OSCE commitments and international standards, including legal reviews and sharing of best practices.

ODIHR's election observation assesses a country's efforts to implement previous recommendations through changes in legislation, procedures and practices. For Albania, ODIHR election observation activities evaluated the follow-up to recommendations from the 2019, 2021 and 2023 parliamentary and local elections and concluded that 11 recommendations had been fully implemented, 8 had been mostly implemented and 23 had been partially addressed, while the remainder have yet to be carried out.

Further details can be found in the ODIHR Electoral Recommendations Database. All OSCE participating States have committed to following up promptly on ODIHR's election assessments and recommendations.