Observers have overturned 'May 11th', now it's time for the international community to break the ‘Madagascar Effect’ in Albania

When the prominent American political scientist Brian Klaas arrived in Madagascar in 2013, it wasn't to see the lemurs. The distinguished scholar, recognized as one of the world's foremost experts on modern autocracies, was there as part of an election observation mission.

From what he had read in the media, the African nation was said to be undergoing reforms.

What he saw during the electoral process left him deeply shocked. As he later wrote, nothing about that election bore any resemblance to democracy.

Even more troubling was that, before the vote count had even started, diplomats were already hurrying to praise the election process. At the forefront of these congratulatory messages were EU officials, one of Madagascar's main donors.

This absurd situation prompted Klaas to coin the term "the Madagascar Effect," referring to countries where expectations for electoral standards have sharply deteriorated.

Moreover, the phrase came to symbolize Western hypocrisy, where the polished statements from foreign ministries often clash with the grim realities reported by election observers on the ground.

In the end, the observers spoke the full truth in their report, despite facing pressure, not so much from the host country, but from international actors themselves. One diplomat nearly admitted that the main concern was simply that the country hadn't descended into civil war during the elections.

Yet, while Madagascar may seem far removed from the West, the same phenomenon is now unfolding dramatically in the heart of Europe.

Today, Albanians read the final report of international observers, a document that completely dismantled the legitimacy of the elections. It noted first that the ruling party had become one with the state, then that the contest was unfair, marred by vote-buying, pressure, and intimidation. The elections, it said, were dominated by organized crime and a vast network of political patronage. Just as in distant Madagascar, it was also observed that the arrest and persecution of opposition leaders were politically motivated.

The most striking conclusion was that these elections had blatantly violated the Copenhagen Charter, the cornerstone Western document that upholds the principles of free and fair elections.

This report stands as the clearest indication yet that the international community must now dismantle the "Madagascar Effect", this time, right in the heart of Europe.

If there's any doubt, one only needs to look at the news from both Albanian and international media: Madagascar has once again become the focus of global attention. Generation Z has taken to the streets in massive protests, demanding greater democracy.

This is undeniable proof that stability without democracy is merely an illusion, one that, no matter how long it seems to last, eventually collapses, and when it does, it collapses violently.

https://www.syri.net/politike/831956/vezhguesit-rrezuan-11-majin-tani-eshte-koha-qe-nderkombetaret-te-shembin-efektin-madagaskar-ne-shqiperi/