Voters in Albania headed to the polls on Sunday for the country’s 11th general elections since the 1991 fall of the country's communist regime.
Polling began at 7 am local time (0500GMT) and will continue until 7 pm (1700GMT).
Over 3.71 million registered voters are eligible to cast ballots.
Fifty-three political parties and three pre-election coalitions are competing for the 140 seats in parliament.
The ruling Socialist Party, led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, has been leading in pre-election polls.
The main opposition Democratic Party, led by former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, is also among the favourites and is running under the Greater Albania Alliance with 25 other parties.
Other parties in the race include the Euro-Atlantic Coalition, Opportunity Party, Joint Movement Party, Albania Is Happening Initiative, Social Democratic Party, Homeland Movement, Albanian National Alliance, and the New Democracy Alliance.
With over 95 percent of the votes counted, the country’s central election commission says Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party secured 48.5 percent of the votes, equivalent to 74 seats in the 140-member parliament.
Europe’s eyes on election
Approximately 100 observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are monitoring the election across 31 countries.
Under the country’s election law, in parliamentary elections, held every four years, parties must pass the 1 percent electoral threshold to enter the assembly.
Albania is home to various ethnic groups including Macedonians, Greeks, Montenegrins, Aromanians, Bosniaks, Serbs, Bulgarians, Egyptians, and Roma.
The population is predominantly Muslim, with significant Catholic, Orthodox, Bektashi, Protestant, and other religious minorities.
Unofficial results of the election are expected to be announced around midnight (2200GMT).
