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Albania PM set for third term: early results

Socialists had captured roughly 50 percent of the vote

26 April, 12:09
(ANSA-AFP) - TIRANA, APR 26 - Albania's prime minister looked set for a third term in power on Monday, as preliminary election results gave his Socialist party a commanding lead. Edi Rama, in power since 2013, has not yet claimed victory following Sunday's poll, which was closely watched in European capitals as Albania pushes to open talks on EU membership. But the election commission said on Monday morning that the Socialists had captured roughly 50 percent of the vote, after ballots were counted from almost one-third of polling stations. An alliance of opposition parties under the Democrat Party -- whose leader Lulzim Basha claimed victory on Sunday -- were on 39 percent and another party opposed to Rama was polling at 7 percent. The campaign was marked by personal insults between candidates and further deteriorated in the final week when a gunfight between rival supporters left one person dead. Despite the febrile atmosphere, voting day itself passed off peacefully, with US and EU ambassadors urging all sides to stay calm and wait for the official result. (ANSA-AFP).

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