Social Democratic Party of Albania

Social Democratic Party of Albania
Partia Socialdemokrate e Shqipërisë
AbbreviationPSD
PSDSH
LeaderTom Doshi[1]
FounderSkënder Gjinushi
FoundedMarch 1991
Preceded byParty of Labour of Albania
HeadquartersRr. Hoxha Tasim, nr. 187/1, Tirana
Ideology
Political positionCentre-left[1]
International affiliationSocialist International (1992–2014)
Colours    Green and red
Parliament
3 / 140
Council Seats
116 / 1,613
Website
psd.al
Former party logo

The Social Democratic Party of Albania (Albanian: Partia Socialdemokrate e Shqipërisë, PSD or PSDSH) is a minor social democratic[3][4] political party in Albania. Its founder is Skënder Gjinushi, a former Minister of Education (1987–1991) and Speaker of Parliament (1997–2001). Its current chairman is businessman and politician Tom Doshi.

Under Doshi, the PSD returned to the Albanian Parliament and won three seats in both the 2021 and 2025 parliamentary elections.[5] The party has generally supported governments led by the Socialist Party and Prime Minister Edi Rama.[6] Doshi and his immediate family were publicly designated by the United States Department of State in 2018 under Section 7031(c) over alleged involvement in significant corruption, which Doshi has denied.[7][8]

History

The PSD was formed in March 1991 by former members of the Party of Labour of Albania who embraced social democracy,[4] and was admitted into the Socialist International at its XIX congress in 1992.[9] The party placed third in the 1992 parliamentary election, winning seven seats.[10] It won only 1.52% and no seats in the 1996 election, but contested the 1997 election in an alliance with the Socialist Party, with the PSD winning nine seats.[11]

In the 2001 elections the party was reduced to four seats competing independently. The 2005 elections saw the party increase its representation back to seven seats. For the 2009 election it was part of the "Unification for Changes" alliance with the Socialist Party, but received just 1.8% of the national vote and lost all its seats. In the 2017 election it returned to parliament with one seat.

Tom Doshi era

In 2017, Tom Doshi, a businessman and former Socialist Party MP, entered parliament on the PSD list, giving the party renewed parliamentary representation. He became party chairman on 17 December 2020, succeeding founder Skënder Gjinushi. In the run-up to the 2021 parliamentary election, the Central Election Commission registered the PSD list despite public criticism from the United States embassy and calls from the opposition and international actors for Doshi not to run because of his U.S. public designation.[12][13]

The PSD won three seats in the 2021 election. Shortly after election day, Doshi renounced his parliamentary mandate, saying that he had not left the party or political activism and would continue to lead the PSD.[14] He also stated that the PSD was ready to cooperate with the Socialist Party but ruled out a coalition with the Democratic Party.[6] The party subsequently functioned as a supporting parliamentary force for Rama's Socialist-led governments.

In the 2025 parliamentary election, the PSD again won three seats, receiving 49,890 votes, or 3.10% of the valid national vote.[5] During the campaign, Doshi said that the PSD would not form a coalition with Sali Berisha and the Democratic Party, while leaving open the possibility of cooperation with the Socialist Party.[15]

The party's political base is in the north of the country, especially Shkodër and Kukës counties. In the 2025 parliamentary election the party won 16% of the vote in Shkodër County and 13% in Kukës County, its two strongest performances.[16] Social Democrat Edmond Ndou holds the office of chairman of the Shkodër County Council.

Controversies and allegations

U.S. designation of Tom Doshi

On 16 April 2018, the United States Department of State publicly designated Tom Doshi under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act, stating that the designation was made due to his alleged involvement in "significant corruption". The designation made Doshi and members of his immediate family ineligible to enter the United States.[7] Doshi has denied wrongdoing and described the allegations as politically motivated.[8]

The designation became a recurring issue during the 2021 election campaign. U.S. ambassador Yuri Kim publicly called on Albanian institutions and political leaders to address Doshi's candidacy and said the Central Election Commission's decision not to disqualify him did not mean he was innocent.[13] The CEC nevertheless registered the PSD list, allowing the party to compete in the election.[12]

Organised crime allegations

In July 2023, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) reported, citing Australian intelligence documents, that Doshi was described in those files as the head of an Albanian organised crime syndicate in Australia. The report stated that Doshi had not been charged with a crime in Australia and published his denial, in which he said that he had never been involved in drug smuggling, human trafficking, arms trafficking, money laundering or illegal immigration and that he had no connection to criminal clans.[8]

Electoral-crime and vote-buying allegations

The PSD has also faced allegations connected to electoral crimes. In May 2025, Albanian media reported that the Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) and the Special Court authorised searches involving Ardian Hysa, the PSD chair in Malësi e Madhe, as part of an investigation into alleged vote buying and the collection of voter identity cards. The PSD denied involvement in illegal activity and said that no illegal material was found during the searches and that Hysa had cooperated with law-enforcement authorities.[17]

On 13 May 2025, SPAK announced that two cousins, Kalosh and Gazment Peposhi, were accused of active electoral corruption for allegedly promising and offering money to voters in villages in Kukës County in exchange for voting for the PSD in the 2025 parliamentary election. According to SPAK, one of them was arrested and the other was declared wanted.[18]

The 2025 parliamentary elections more broadly were described by the OSCE/ODIHR as competitive and professionally managed, but not held on a level playing field. ODIHR cited reports of intimidation, misuse of public resources, pressure on public employees, vote buying and problems with ballot secrecy.[19]

Chairmen of the Social Democratic Party of Albania

Timeline

Tom DoshiSkënder Gjinushi

Election results

Parliament

Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Rank Status
1992 Skënder Gjinushi 73,820 4.04
7 / 140
 3rd Opposition
1996 25,019 1.52
0 / 140
 Decrease 7 Decrease 8th Extra-parliamentary
1997[a] 245,181 17.35
9 / 140
 Increase 9 Increase 3rd Coalition
2001 48,911 3.65
4 / 140
 Decrease 5 Decrease 4th Coalition
2005[b] 174,103 12.74
7 / 140
 Increase 3 Steady 4th Opposition
2009 26,700 1.76
0 / 140
 Decrease 7 Decrease 5th Extra-parliamentary
2013 10,220 0.59
0 / 140
 Steady 0 Decrease 9th Extra-parliamentary
2017 14,993 0.95
1 / 140
 Increase 1 Increase 5th Support
2021 Tom Doshi 35,477 2.25
3 / 140
 Increase 2 Increase 4th Support
2025 49,890 3.10
3 / 140
 Steady 0 Steady 4th Support

Notes

  1. ↑ In coalition with PS.
  2. ↑ Compensatory vote.

References

  1. 1 2 "European Election Watch Albania". Center for Strategic and International Studies. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Albania". Europe Elects. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  3. ↑ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2017). "Albania". Parties and Elections in Europe.
  4. 1 2 Paul G. Lewis (2000). Political Parties in Post-Communist Eastern Europe. Routledge. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-415-20182-7. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Albania Parliament May 2025 election results". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Tom Doshi Is Ready to Make Coalition with SP". Albanian Daily News. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Public Designation of Tom Doshi Under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act". United States Department of State. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 Likmeta, Besar; Erebara, Gjergj (27 July 2023). "Influential Albanian Politician Led Organized Crime Group in Australia, Intelligence Reports Claim". Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "Decisions on Membership of the Socialist International". Socialist International. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  10. ↑ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p142 ISBN 9783832956097
  11. ↑ Nohlen & Stöver, pp.140–142
  12. 1 2 "Tom Doshi gets green light to race in the elections after CEC approves PSD's list". Euronews Albania. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  13. 1 2 "US Ambassador Slams Silence by Party Leaders on Albanian MP Barred by State Department". Exit News. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "Tom Doshi explains reasons behind the renunciation of his mandate". Euronews Albania. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Tom Doshi votes: I will not form a coalition with Mr. Berisha, we will see about the SP". Hashtag.al. 11 May 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  16. ↑ "2025 parliamentary election results". Central Election Commission (Albania). Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "Report Tv siguron vendimin, kryetari i PSD së Doshit në Malësi të Madhe në hetim për blerje votash". Shqiptarja.com. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  18. ↑ "Akuzohen për korrupsion zgjedhor, SPAK njoftim zyrtar: Dy kushërinjtë Kalosh dhe Gazment Peposhi blinin vota për PSD në fshatra të Kukësit". Shqiptarja.com. 13 May 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "Albania parliamentary elections 2025: ODIHR election observation mission final report". OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. 23 October 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
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