Democracy, Dialogue and EU integration: International IDEA’s Secretary-General visits Albania

During Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General of International IDEA mission to Tirana from 18 to 20 October 2026 he met with senior government officials, parliamentary leaders, electoral authorities, ambassadors of International IDEA Member States, European Union representatives, civil society actors and development partners. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss democratic resilience, Albania’s European Union accession process, electoral integrity, and the prospects of deepening the engagement between Albania and International IDEA, all topics of heightened salience in the context of increased political polarization in the country. 

Reflecting International IDEA’s long-standing engagement in Albania and the Western Balkans, the visit focused on strengthening partnerships that support democratic governance, effective institutions, and inclusive political dialogue. Discussions emphasized Albania’s progress towards EU accession, the role of democratic institutions in sustaining reform, and the importance of addressing political polarization, foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), and emerging challenges related to digital technologies.

Meetings with Ilirjan Celibashi, State Election Commissioner, and other national stakeholders reaffirmed the strong partnership between International IDEA and Albania’s electoral institutions that started in 2021 and continue to grow. Discussions covered electoral reform, political finance transparency, digital oversight of elections, and preparations for future cooperation on combating foreign interference and disinformation in democratic processes.

A central theme throughout the visit was the prospect of deepening the institutional engagement of Albania with International IDEA. In the meeting with Ferit Hoxha, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, as well as meetings with the Office of the Prime Minister and the Minister for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption, the Secretary-General highlighted the mutual benefits of Albania’s deeper engagement within the Institute. He noted that Albania could both benefit from and contribute to global democratic dialogue through International IDEA’s network of Member States. Albanian counterparts expressed interest in exploring the membership process and recognized the value of deeper engagement with the organization. The Secretary-General also met with Evis Kushi, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, and parliamentary leadership to discuss the role of parliament in Albania’s EU accession process. Through its flagship EU funded “Strengthening the Albanian Parliament for EU Integration” (STEP-EU) project in Albania, International IDEA supports parliamentary strengthening through peer-to-peer exchanges with EU member-state legislatures and initiatives aimed at enhancing legislative, oversight and representative functions, as well as enhancing the cross-party dialogue and involvement of civil society, media and other members of the public in parliamentary processes related to EU Integration.

Engagements with the Ambassador of the European Union to Albania, as well as the ambassadors of Sweden and France, focused on democratic resilience, political polarization, and opportunities for coordinated international support to Albania’s reform agenda. Discussions explored how comparative experiences from other democracies could contribute to fostering dialogue, strengthening institutional trust, and supporting reforms linked to EU accession.

One important moment of the visit was a high-level briefing bringing together International IDEA Member States, EU Member States, candidate countries and other diplomatic representatives under the theme “From Global Commitments to Local Impact: International IDEA's Role in Advancing Democratic Resilience and Albania's EU Accession.” In delivering the opening remarks, the Secretary General was joined by Ambassador Niklas Ström of Sweden, the host country for International IDEA's Headquarters and founding member of the Institute. The event provided an opportunity to discuss democratic trends globally, the opportunities created by the EU accession process, and International IDEA’s ongoing support to Albania’s parliament, electoral institutions and democratic reforms.

Amid ongoing street protests and heightened political tensions in Albania, a dedicated meeting with activists from civil society and journalists provided an important opportunity to hear perspectives relevant to various societal groups and additional insights on Albania’s democratic journey, the ongoing EU accession negotiations, as well as the context, triggers and demands of the recent protests and broader political polarization in the country.

Throughout the visit, the Secretary-General underscored that, at a time when democratic backsliding and institutional checks and balances continues to affect many countries worldwide, the EU accession process remains one of the strongest incentives for democratic reform and institutional strengthening. He welcomed Albania’s progress in its EU accession path and emphasised strong connection between EU integration and democratic development, expressing International IDEA’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Albanian institutions, civil society and development partners in support of a resilient, inclusive and future-oriented democracy.