Opportunity Party (Albania)
Opportunity Party Partia Mundësia | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Abbreviation | PM |
| Leader | Agron Shehaj |
| Founder | Agron Shehaj |
| Founded | 1 June 2024 |
| Split from | Democratic Party of Albania |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Centre-right to right-wing |
| Colours | Blue Orange |
| Parliament | 2 / 140 |
| Municipality | 0 / 61 |
| Party flag | |
 | |
| Website | |
| mundesia | |
The Opportunity Party (Albanian: Partia Mundësia, PM) is a centre-right political party in Albania founded and led by businessman and former Democratic Party MP Agron Shehaj.[1] The party describes itself as an anti-corruption and pro-business alternative to Albania's established political parties.
In the 2025 Albanian parliamentary election, the party won 48,995 votes, 3.05% of the vote and two seats in the Parliament of Albania.[2][3] Its elected MPs were Agron Shehaj and Erald Kapri.[4]
History
[edit]Agron Shehaj, a former member of Sali Berisha's faction in the Democratic Party, left the party and announced on 1 June 2024 the establishment of a new political party called Opportunity Party (Partia Mundësia).[5] The party was launched at the Palace of Congresses in Tirana, where Shehaj presented it as a new political force committed to fighting corruption and opening the economy.[6][7]
In his launch speech, Shehaj argued that the party represented a break with Albania's political establishment of the previous three decades and said that the party would offer citizens "a new opportunity". Albanian media described the party's early message as centred on anti-corruption, economic freedom, lower taxes, less bureaucracy and opposition to monopolies and abusive concessions.[8]
2025 parliamentary election
[edit]The party contested its first national election in 2025. It was one of three new anti-establishment political subjects, along with Lëvizja Shqipëria Bëhet and Lëvizja Bashkë, that entered the parliamentary race outside the traditional Socialist Party and Democratic Party blocs.[9] The 2025 election was the first Albanian parliamentary election in which citizens living abroad could vote by mail, and 53 political parties competed through 11 candidate lists or electoral subjects.[10]
The Opportunity Party won two seats, both in Tirana County, and became one of six electoral subjects represented in the new parliament.[2][3] After the vote, Shehaj described the result as the beginning of a new opposition and said the party would focus on representing voters who wanted political change.[4][11]
Ideology and platform
[edit]The Opportunity Party has been described as centre-right to right-wing,[9] fiscally conservative and moderate conservative. Reporter.al described it as a personalised centre-right movement around Shehaj, combining economic liberalism with institutional conservatism and presenting policies similar to those of the Democratic Party but with a stronger market-liberal emphasis.[8]
The party's programme centres on anti-corruption, smaller government, economic growth, support for entrepreneurship, justice reform, education, health care, youth and emigration, public order and foreign policy.[8] Shehaj has framed the party as a modern opposition force against both the Socialist government and the older opposition leadership.[12]
Economic policies
[edit]The party advocates replacing Albania's progressive income tax with an 8% flat tax. It proposes to reduce administrative costs by 1 billion euros per year through lower bureaucracy, stricter spending controls and an end to employment favouritism. According to the party, these savings would allow Albania to combine lower taxes with increased investment in health care and education.
The party also proposes the removal of state control checks for new enterprises during their first three years, the reduction of monopolies, automation of customs procedures with artificial intelligence, cancellation of allegedly abusive concessions and public-private partnerships, a ten-year freeze on fiscal policy changes and eventual adoption of the euro as Albania's national currency.[13] During the 2025 Albanian parliamentary election campaign, Shehaj proposed an 80% budget cut for Albania's public broadcaster RTSH, citing low viewership and high maintenance costs.[14]
Election results
[edit]Parliamentary elections
[edit]| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Agron Shehaj | 48,995 | 3.05 | 2 / 140
|
New | Opposition |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Agron Shehaj founds the party 'Opportunity': For an Albania without corruption". sot.com.al (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 2024-06-12. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
- ^ a b "Zgjedhjet për Kuvend 2025 – Rezultatet". Central Election Commission. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
- ^ a b "Albania Parliament May 2025 Election Results". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
- ^ a b Meta, Armando (2025-05-17). "Partia Mundësia merr 2 mandate, Shehaj: Jemi opozita e shekullit 21, e një opozite që sheh nga e ardhmja". RTSH (in Albanian). Retrieved 2026-06-17.
- ^ Doda, Jugers (2024-06-06). "Krijoi Partinë Mundësia, Shehaj: Sipas sondazheve, kemi premisa të mira". Lajme Durrës (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 2024-06-12. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
- ^ "Agron Shehaj themelon forcën më të re politike në vend, prezanton partinë 'Mundësia': Për një Shqipëri pa korrupsion (VIDEO)". Shqiptarja.com (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 2024-06-12. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
- ^ ""Mundësia", Agron Shehaj prezanton partinë e re: Të hapim ekonominë, të shembim monopolet (VIDEO)". Argjiroja (in Albanian). 2024-06-01. Archived from the original on 2024-06-12. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
- ^ a b c Karaj, Vladimir (2025-04-10). ""Mundësia": Lëvizja e personalizuar e Agron Shehajt për një forcë të re të qendrës së djathtë". Reporter.al (in Albanian). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
- ^ a b Jones, Seth (2025-05-07). "Your primer on Albania's parliamentary election". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
- ^ "Elections in Albania". International Foundation for Electoral Systems. Retrieved 2026-06-22.
- ^ "'Mundësia' me 2 mandate, Shehaj flet për rezultatin: Akuzat e Berishës? Këndvështrimi i tij! Rama ka 25 vite që përfiton nga Shqipëria". Shqiptarja.com (in Albanian). 2025-05-15. Retrieved 2026-06-22.
- ^ "Agron Shehaj Closes Campaign: A Historic Opportunity to Leave the Past Behind". Euronews Albania. 2025-05-09. Retrieved 2026-06-22.
- ^ "Programi i Partisë Mundësia" (PDF). Partia Mundësia (in Albanian). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
- ^ "Shehaj kërkon shkurtim të fondeve të RTSH-së: Duhet të kursejmë 30 milionë euro në vit! Lutfi Dervishi: Mbyllja është sport popullor, të gjithë e dinë si bëhet". Shqiptarja.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 2025-06-29.