Albanian elections June 25th

[PetrSokol]

No informations about this elections?

[PetrSokol]

140 MP´s at stake today.

[Mike88]

Polls close in less than half an hour.

[PetrSokol]

There are few polls but they make the governing Socialist party (PS) a favourite. The main opposition party - Democratic party - decided to participate in the polls after long negotations.  The important player could be the Socialist movement for integration (LSI) - the kongmaker from the former elections in 2009 and 2013. This is a split from PS but governed with bouth parties already.

[Mike88]

There are few exit-polls but they make the governing Socialist party (PS) a favourite. The main opposition party - Democratic party - decided to participate in the polls after long negotations.  The important player could be the Socialist movement for integration (LSI) - the kongmaker from the former elections in 2009 and 2013. This is a split from PS but governed with bouth parties already.

Can't find any exit poll yet. Do you have any numbers, Petr?

Also, according to Top News Channel, turnout is very low at around 35.6%

[PetrSokol]

Sory I wrote exit-polls but meant opinion polls....

[PetrSokol]

There is information in Albanian TV that the Electoral commission decided to postpone the colasing of polls until 20:00

[Zuza]

In 2013 turnout was 53.5 %, so 35.6 % turnout is shockingly low, but maybe it isn't a final number?

[Mike88]

There is information in Albanian TV that the Electoral commission decided to postpone the colasing of polls until 20:00

Yeah, just saw that. In Sot news there's an article reporting that a precinct in Shkodër was closed because, apparently, LSI supporters were intimidating voters. PS reported this situation to the electoral commission. Don't know if this was the reason for the postponement.

[PetrSokol]

In 2013 turnout was 53.5 %, so 35.6 % turnout is shockingly low, but maybe it isn't a final number?

This should be only from some locals. From these which reported to CEC

[PetrSokol]

There is information in Albanian TV that the Electoral commission decided to postpone the colasing of polls until 20:00

Yeah, just saw that. In Sot news there's an article reporting that a precinct in Shkodër was closed because, apparently, LSI supporters were intimidating voters. PS reported this situation to the electoral commission. Don't know if this was the reason for the postponement.

I just found that it was decided by 6-1 in CEC

[PetrSokol]

According to public TV website the reason mainly was the turnout and weather.
"Low turnout is thought to have come because of the high temperatures that have prevailed throughout the day. At 19 o'clock the temperature was 32 degrees, but during the day it passed 37 degrees. The postponement of the closure time of the polling stations was also due to some other issues of the process."

[Mike88]

Well, polls have closed. I don't think there will exit polls. 

Turnout rate updated to 35.77%.

[PetrSokol]

I watched two albanian Tv live on 20:00 and no exit-poll

[Mike88]

The electoral commission projects turnout to be at 43%.

[Lord Halifax]

The electoral commission projects turnout to be at 43%.

A lot of the people on the electoral rolls have emigrated, so that is a largely irrelevant number.

[PetrSokol]

The TV station Ora News has its exit-poll:
first edition 20:15:
PS 46-50%
PD 31-35%
LSI 11-15%
social-liberal LIBRA 1-3%
nationalistic PDIU 1-3%

second edition 21:30
PS 45-49%
PD 30-34%
LSI 11-15%
LIBRA 0,5-2,5%
PDIU 3-5%

[Mike88]

No results yet?

[Lord Halifax]

No results yet?

Preliminary results will start getting released tomorrow morning.

[Mike88]

No results yet?

Preliminary results will start getting released tomorrow morning.

Ahh. Didn't knew that. Thanks! 

Nonetheless, i will follow the early returns, tomorrow morning, in this site. It seems quite good.

[parochial boy]

How, er, free and fair are these elections likely to be? If I'm correct, the potential of fraud was one of the major drivers of the protests and potential boycott. Or was that really more the opposition trying to stir things up than out of a real fear of manipulation?

[Mike88]

62% of the vote counted:

47.9% 74 PS Absolute Majority
28.3% 43 PD
14.4% 18 LSI
  4.6%   4 PDIU
  1.3%   0 LIBRA
  0.7%   1 PSD
  2.8%      Others 

[Mike88]

68% of the vote counted:

48.1% 73 PS Absolute Majority
28.6% 44 PD
14.5% 18 LSI
  4.7%   4 PDIU
  1.3%   0 LIBRA
  0.8%   1 PSD
  2.0%      Others

The electoral map shows a north-south divide. The districts bordering Yugoslavia are voting PD or just slightly PS while the others districts, Tirane and the others bordering Greece and Macedonia, are voting overwhelming PS.

[Mike88]

87% of the vote counted:

48.2% 73 PS Absolute Majority
28.8% 43 PD
14.4% 19 LSI
  4.7%   4 PDIU
  1.3%   0 LIBRA
  0.9%   1 PSD
  1.7%      Others

[Zuza]

How important are ideological differences between parties, by the way? And are there any differences between PS and LSI (aside from the fact that they are led by different persons)?