Aspects of political representation in Albania: is it time for fewer seats in parliament?

Abstract

The Constitution of the Republic of Albania sets down that the members of parliament must number 140, elected from multi-nominal electoral districts corresponding to the administrative division of the country and according to a proportional regional formula. In general, as elsewhere, the constitution does not reference the ratio between the number of members and the size of the population. However, members are representatives of the people and, as such, there is a direct relationship between the size of the population and the number of members of the representative body. This article starts from the idea that 25 years after the constitution's approval, it is time to reconsider the number of its members. The population is changing because of emigration and birth rates, and while emigrants are still part of electoral lists, the state has not given them the proper tools to exercise the right to vote. On the other hand, the proportional formula has created a lack of contact and confidence between representatives and the population. For this reason, the question addressed here is whether it is time to have fewer political representatives.