TIRANA, May 11, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Albanians head to the polls on Sunday to decide whether to give Prime Minister Edi Rama a fourth term or side with his longstanding rival in an election seen as crucial for the country's European Union ambitions.

The international community views the election as a test of Albania's fragile institutions following the latest bitter and divisive campaign between Rama and fellow veteran Sali Berisha.

Over 2,000 domestic and international observers will monitor voting between 7:00 am (0500 GMT) and 7:00 pm (1700 GMT).

A smooth electoral process is especially important for Albania, the most pro-EU country in the region, which waited 13 years before accession negotiations officially started in July 2022.

This election faces an added challenge, with the foreign diaspora voting for the first time, as low wages drive emigration, particularly among young and educated Albanians to countries such as Germany and Italy.

According to the Central Election Commission, nearly 246,000 Albanians outside the country are registered to vote.

Their ballots, sent by registered post, must be returned to the polling station in their birthplace. The commission has reported delays in some areas, however, while media said there had been address errors in ballot shipments.

-- Veterans duel --

Approximately 3.7 million voters are eligible to choose between candidates from 11 political groupings, including three coalitions, in the proportional vote after a campaign dominated by the rivalry between Rama and Berisha.

Rama, 60, has led the Socialist Party since 2005 and is seeking a fourth straight term as prime minister. A former student leader opposed to the communist regime, he served as mayor of Tirana and minister of culture before taking office in 2013.

His key pledge is to secure EU membership by 2030.

Opponents regularly accuse Rama of ties to organised crime. He denies the charge, declaring he would "withdraw from political life if anyone proves links to corruption or criminal groups".

The 80-year-old right winger Berisha was Albania's first post-communist president. His Democratic Party of Albania has joined with more than 20 other parties, hoping to remove Rama from office.

Echoing US President Donald Trump, Berisha promises a "great Albania" centred on economic recovery. His campaign is being advised by American Republican consultant Chris LaCivita.

Declared "persona non grata" by the United States and Britain for his alleged ties to organised crime and corruption, Berisha is under judicial investigation in Albania for "passive corruption by a high-ranking official".

The leading parties have campaigned mainly on economic issues: pensions, wages, infrastructure, and tourism.

To win power for the next four years, a party or coalition must secure a majority of the 140 seats in the Albanian parliament.

Since the fall of communism in the early 1990s, election results have routinely been contested by the losing side, often leading to fraud allegations.

According to the Central Election Commission, preliminary results are expected within two days of the vote, just ahead of a summit in Albania of leaders from the European Union and other European countries to discuss security and economic growth.