Voting has officially begun in Albania’s Democratic Party leadership election, with current chairman Sali Berisha running as the sole candidate for the party’s top post.

Polling stations opened at 08:00 local time, with more than 90 voting centers operating across the country. Around 51,000 Democratic Party members have been called to participate in the process.

The number marks a significant decrease compared to the party’s 2021 internal elections — considered the last normal electoral process before the Democrats entered a prolonged internal conflict — when approximately 75,000 members were eligible to vote.

In the northern city of Shkodër, around 6,800 party members are registered with voting rights. Three voting centers have been established in the area: two at the Democratic Party headquarters near the former courthouse road, and one additional center in the Bërdicë administrative unit to facilitate access for voters.

The election comes as the Democratic Party continues efforts to consolidate its structures following years of internal divisions and political tensions.