Parliament approved the country’s territorial reform early Friday, with Socialist Party lawmaker Erion Braçe voting in favor despite days of public criticism of the proposed changes.

Braçe had emerged as one of the most closely watched figures ahead of the vote, repeatedly questioning whether the new administrative map would deliver a more functional system of local government.

Earlier the lawmaker reiterated his reservations and said Prime Minister Edi Rama had urged him to support the reform. According to Braçe, Rama had warned that voting against the proposal would result in his expulsion from the Socialist Party’s parliamentary group.

His position appeared unchanged until shortly before the vote, when Rama arrived at Parliament. Reports indicated that the prime minister had requested a private meeting with Braçe in one of the parliamentary offices approximately 30 minutes before the vote.

The details of that meeting remain unclear. However, when lawmakers cast their final votes, Braçe raised his green voting card in support of the reform, joining the 85 MPs who backed its approval.

His decision marked a significant turn in the final hours of a politically contentious process, as disagreements over the territorial reorganization continued to shape the debate between the governing majority and the opposition.