Albania has not made progress concerning the strengthening of state and democracy in 2021, according to the latest report of Freedom House. The report said corruption continues in Albania and it also mentioned the votes buy-out in the elections and the so-called patrons of the Socialist Party that used the personal and private data of the voters in the capital Tirana.

Albania is still placed in the “hybrid democracy” category. The country’s score remains unchanged from 2020 to 2021, but it has been on a slow by steady decline since 2012, after experiencing a brief period as a full democracy between 2005 and 2010.

According to the report, part of Albania’s problem lies also in the lack of a credible opposition to push the country towards full democracy.

Elections are generally competitive but they are often ruined the massive votes buy-out, manipulations and other problems. The report finds out the civil society plays a somehow active role but it suffers the lack of adequate funding and lack of involvement in the policy consulting processes as required by law.