site.btaRuling Socialist Party of Albania Leads in Sunday's Parliamentary Elections

The Socialist Party of Albania, led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, is leading in the parliamentary elections held across the country on Sunday, according to ballots processed from 1,335 out of 5,225 voting sections, Euronews Albania reported.

Based on partial results, the Socialists have secured 179,807 votes, or 83 seats in Albania's 140-member Parliament. The Alliance for a Greater Albania, led by the main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Albania (PD), chaired by former prime minister and president Sali Berisha, follows with 116,846 votes, or 51 seats.

Tom Doshi's Social Democratic Party of Albania is in third place with 12,825 votes, or three seats. 

Arlind Qori's Together Movement, Adriatik Lapaj and Endri Shabani’s Albania Becomes Initiative Coalition, and former PD member Agron Shehaj’s Opportunity Party each secured one seat.

A total of eleven parties and coalitions participated in the elections, with 2,046 candidates competing for parliamentary seats across the country's 12 counties.

Under a new electoral formula, each party fielded 186 candidates, including 46 on closed lists (with predetermined order) and 140 on open lists (where voters can express preference). 

To win a seat in any constituency, parties must exceed a threshold of one percent of the national vote, according to the information portal Shqiptarja.

The only exit poll published in Albania was by Albanian Post. 

The results of machine voting from Tirana's Administrative Unit 10 and Vore (Central Albania) are expected to be announced later in the day.