2002 Albanian presidential election

The 2002 Albanian presidential election took place on 24 June 2002 to elect a new President of Albania.

In 2002, under pressure from international organization, Alfred Moisiu was chosen by Sali Berisha and Fatos Nano as a consensus candidate for the presidency after the end of Rexhep Meidani's term. Moisiu was found fitting for that post since he was a researcher, was politically neutral, was known as an effective mediator (a quality much appreciated in Albania, which tends to inner quarrels) and had a decisive pro-Western and NATO orientation.

Albanian media emphasized the extraordinary cooperative spirit between the Socialist and the Democratic Parties: Moisiu was a candidate approved by both Sali Berisha and Fatos Nano. Neither Nano nor former president Meidani ran for the presidency, as they had no chance to gather the necessary three fifths of the vote. Meidani was found to be too close to the Socialists, and therefore conservative candidates would not support him.

Moisiu was elected by the People's Assembly by a vote of 97 to 19 (with 14 abstentions) and he was sworn in for a five-year term as president on 24 July 2002.

Election results

2002 Albanian presidential election result
Votes for Alfred Moisiu	97
Votes against Alfred Moisiu	19
Abstentions	14
Spoilt ballots	4

External links

• The European Parliament flexes its muscles - in Albania
• Albania: Political deadlock broken
• Former general elected Albanian president
• Secret pact by sworn enemies ends crisis over Albanian presidency