Ilir Meta has issued a message from pretrial detention on Electoral Reform, targeting the 2008 constitutional changes and the political model that, according to him, concentrated more power in party leaders than in voters. In his reaction, Meta calls for three essential interventions: a return to the pre-2008 Constitution, the full opening of lists, and the restoration of runoffs in local elections.
Attack on the 2008 formula
The former president presents the 2008 political agreement between Edi Rama and Sali Berisha as the source of the distortion of political representation in the country. According to him, overturning that scheme is a condition for restoring citizens’ sovereignty and curbing party control over mandates.
At its core, Meta links the crisis of representation to the constitutional changes of that time, arguing that they weakened the separation of powers and the mechanisms of checks and balances. His claim comes at a time when the debate over Electoral Reform remains trapped between the interests of the major parties.
Calls for a return to the Constitution before the changes
In the published message, Meta calls for the restoration of the Constitution as it was before the 2008 changes. According to him, this would re-establish the separation of powers and guarantees for the functioning of the rule of law and democracy.
This is a politically weighty position, but also one with a clearly polemical charge, as it touches on one of the strongest compromises of Albania’s political transition. So far, he presents this as one of the main ways to undo what he considers the capture of the system.
100% open lists and an end to dependence on party leaders
One of the central points of Meta’s proposal is the 100% opening of lists for the election of MPs and municipal councilors. According to him, mandates should derive directly from the citizens’ vote and not from the ranking determined by party leaders.
This argument touches on one of the oldest criticisms of Albania’s electoral system: the concentration of selection power in the hands of party hierarchies. Meta claims that only fully open lists can create real space for candidates with integrity and public support, including independents.
Runoffs for municipalities and the claim of a real majority
Meta also calls for the restoration of runoffs for the election of mayors. According to him, only in this way can the winner have the support of a majority of citizens rather than emerging from vote fragmentation.
In his reaction, he links this change to the need for stronger local legitimacy. Meta also claims that these interventions would help free the system from state capture and bring Albania closer to European standards.
The statement comes from pretrial detention, giving the reaction a clear political weight beyond the technical debate over the code or the electoral formula.
For the moment, Meta’s message remains a public positioning in a debate where parties speak about rules, but usually negotiate the control those rules give them over power.