For over two decades, initiatives from Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) have supported decentralization and local democracy in Albania. Projects like "Bashki të Forta", implemented by Helvetas, have focused on empowering local leadership and fostering democratic engagement. Despite these advancements, a critical question arises: to what extent have national politics started to embrace local governance as relevant experience for broader political involvement?

The Albanian Parliament's upcoming 2025 elections will encompass 140 mandates distributed across various electoral regions, with Tirana holding the highest representation at 37 seats. Other significant regions include Fier (16 seats), Durrës and Elbasan (14 seats each), and Vlora (12 seats). Smaller regions like Shkodra and Korça have 11 and 10 mandates, respectively, while Berat and Lezha each have 7. The smallest district, Kukes, is represented with only 3 mandates. They will be elected by a total of about 3.7 million votes in 5,050 voting centers.

Local government officials - mayors, municipal council members, and regional administrators - have secured prominent spots in candidate lists, particularly in districts where their grassroots networks could be decisive. The presence of mayors and other local officials on party lists reflects their value as strong campaign assets. Their ability to mobilize regional voters, particularly in rural areas, is apparently perceived as crucial in the upcoming national elections. In a politically charged climate the direct connection between voters and local representatives could be a determining factor in electoral races.

Several political parties have nominated candidates with local backgrounds. Among these are the Socialist Party (35 candidates), the Democratic Party (Alliance for Magnificent Albania) (22 candidates), Nisma “Shqipëria Bëhet” (4 candidates), and the Euro-Atlantic Coalition (4 candidates), and others parties, (the Social Democratic Party with 2 candidates), However, local representation still remains modest on the lists of the two largest national parties, with only 19% (SP) and 12% (DP) of candidates coming from local governance backgrounds. Encouragingly, women represent over 32% of these local candidates, surpassing the 30% gender quota. Tirana, Lezha, Vlora, and Korça are notable for having the highest number of proposed candidates with local government experience, showing their intention to infuse local political expertise into the national arena.

Out of a total of 69 candidates from local governance, 45 are Municipal Councilors set to compete for seats in the national parliament, with women making up 40% of the nominees. Notably, three of these candidates are members of the Board of the Local Alliances of Women Councilors, and one from the National Alliance of Women Councilors, a movement that has received extensive support from Swiss Development Cooperation and Sweden through Helvetas. Within this group, 8 candidates were selected for closed lists, while 37 are running on open lists. Tirana and Vlora lead as the cities with the highest number of municipal council representatives aiming to transition to national politics, followed by Durrës and Elbasan. This strategic shift is embraced not only by the two major parties - the Socialist Party and the Democratic Party - but also by smaller political groups.

Local executive leaders (mayors, deputy mayors and municipal staff), while overshadowed by municipal council members, are beginning to carve their niche in the election lists for the national parliament. A total of 24 candidates have previously served as mayors, deputy mayors, or held other executive positions, though women are only 19% of this cohort. Interestingly, the distribution of these candidates reveals that only three are on closed lists. The majority - approximately 73% is running under the banner of the Socialist Party and Democratic Party. Notably, mayors of major municipalities, except for Berat, have largely opted not to pursue parliamentary seats, preferring to run their cities and stay close to their constituencies. Instead, the focus seems to be on deputy mayors and other executive officials.

Both the SP and DP have 46 candidates on closed (secured) lists. Out of these the SP has 7 and DP has 5 candidates with local governance background (13%), of which 3 are women councilors in each list (6 in total). Some 47 candidates with a local government background are on the open list.

As the May elections approach, the interplay between decentralization and democratic governance in Albania becomes a critical area of observation. Will local leaders effectively bridge the gap between local needs and national policy? Only time will reveal the depth of local governance's influence on Albania's national political landscape and the broader implications for democracy.

Development projects, such as those implemented by Helvetas Intercooperation through SDC support, have played a crucial role not only in strengthening the capacity and skills of local self-government units but also in empowering individuals who have gone on to assume key roles in national and local decision-making: many beneficiaries of these programs have later served in high-ranking positions, including Members of Parliament, mayors, deputy ministers, and other executive roles.

In this context, Helvetas takes pride in its contribution to shaping the future leadership landscape. Notably, for the upcoming May 2025 elections, two candidates nominated by a political party - one of whom is included in the secured/closed list- have emerged from the ranks of its local governance program. This underscores the project’s lasting impact on governance by equipping professionals with the expertise and experience needed to serve in influential public roles. The opportunity for local government experts and officials in shaping national politics has never been more evident in Albania as with the upcoming national elections.

*Norbert Pijls and Valbona Karakaçi are managers of the Bashki të Forta project which is funded by SDC and Sweden.