The draft law on amendments to the Electoral Code/Civic Action is addressed to the CEC

2026-06-09 19:34:00, Politikë CNA

The draft law on amendments to the Electoral Code/Civic Action is addressed to

Citizen Action for Functional Democracy has today filed with the Central Election Commission the request that will allow it to act on the draft law "On amendments and additions to the Electoral Code of the Republic of Albania."

Through a post on social media, former head of the CEC Kristaq Kume announced that this draft law comes as a result of a long process of reflection and discussion on possible legal changes in this field.

Kume lists the strong reasons why citizens should sign the support petitions, highlighting the conditions for holding democratic elections in the country.

The draft law on amendments to the Electoral Code/Civic Action is addressed to

"Today we submitted to the CEC the request to be provided with a standard form for collecting supporting signatures from no less than 20,000 voters for the draft law 'On amendments and additions to the Electoral Code of the Republic of Albania.'

The draft law is the result of a long and intensive process of reflection and discussion on the contributions, opinions and proposals of civil society for the adjustments that should be made to the electoral legislation, with the objective of creating supportive and effective legal conditions for the development of democratic elections in our country. The draft law proposes a package of additions and amendments to the Electoral Code through which it is intended to increase the quality of democratic representation, strengthen transparency in the electoral process, expand opportunities for citizens to participate in elections, guarantee equal access to the exercise of the right to vote and enable an equal, free and fair electoral competition.

The main proposed additions and changes address issues related to:

1. The division of Albania into four electoral regions and voting with 100 percent open lists. The calculation of the mandates won by electoral subjects using the SantEgue formula - the successive division of the votes won by the subject with odd numbers. These changes create real opportunities for the proportional representation of political subjects and the will of the voters in the Assembly of Albania. Voting with 100 percent open lists for municipal councils.

2. The right of citizens to participate in elections not only with an independent candidate but with a list with more than one candidate, the "Citizens' List of Candidates", giving citizens the opportunity to compete outside of party structures.

3. Depoliticization/de-partisanization of the electoral administration, CEAZ, VCC and GN. Its creation with citizens who express the desire to perform the duty of electoral administrator, who are trained and certified by the CEC, with priority given to citizens who exercise licensed professions, lawyers, notaries, advocates, etc.

4. Number of votes and declaration of results for electoral subjects at the Voting Center

5. Possibility of voting at the mobile ballot box for people with disabilities, the sick and the elderly.

6. Increasing stringent conditions to prevent the use of public resources, the administration of public funds and to prohibit pressure on voters, vote buying and family voting.

7. Regulation of requirements, conditions and spaces for the development of the electoral campaign. Increasing access of electoral subjects and independent candidates to the media and public financing. Support with public financing and access to the media for the electoral campaign of candidates of the less represented gender.

8. Strengthening the capacities of the CEC for monitoring, control and transparency in political financing through the creation, within the CEC, of ??a special and independent structure for monitoring and auditing the financing of political parties and electoral entities.

9. Facilitation and opportunity for digitalization of the process of collecting and verifying supporting signatures for new electoral subjects and citizen initiatives for candidacy with "Citizen Lists of Candidates", through an electronic platform integrated with digital identity (e-Albania).

10. Strengthening penalties against violators of the electoral law”, writes Kume./CNA