Q&A: Albania votes

Fatos Nano says he wants progress to continue

Albania has been holding parliamentary elections - the country's sixth since the advent of a multi-party system in 1991. Opinion polls throughout the month-long campaign have suggested the result is too close to call.

What happened in the last elections?

The governing Socialist Party of Albania (PS) won a second consecutive four-year term in July 2001, securing 73 seats in the 140-member National Assembly.

The opposition Union for Victory coalition, dominated by MPs from the Democratic Party (PD), took 46 seats.

Current Prime Minister Fatos Nano has been in office since summer 2002, just two months after parliament chose former Defence Minister Alfred Moisiu as president.

Mr Nano is seeking a third consecutive term for the Socialists.

Who are the front-runners this time round?

The PS is the successor to the old communist Albanian Labour Party.

Led at present by Mr Nano, the party has managed to stay in power since the 1997 financial crisis, despite a series of internal disputes.

Sali Berisha says he wants to stamp out corruption

Mr Nano has said his party will concentrate on delivering improvements in five key areas: education, health, the economy, social services and the infrastructure.

The Socialists' election slogan is "Defend the Future!"

The Democratic Party (PD), headed by Mr Nano's long-standing rival Sali Berisha, will provide the main challenge to the PS.

The PD first entered government back in 1992, but lost power following the collapse of financial pyramid schemes in 1997.

Mr Berisha, who served as president for six years during the 1990s, has promised to crack down on corruption, human trafficking and organised crime if he wins Sunday's election.

Who else is contesting the election?

The Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) heads the second tier of parties which could play a significant role if the vote is tight.

The party is led by former Prime Minister Ilir Meta, who left the PS in July 2004 amid persistent disagreements with Mr Nano.

Mr Meta has said his main aim is to make a clean break with Albania's past and press for integration into the EU.

Also in the mix is the Movement for National Development (LZhK), founded in 2004 by Leka Zogu, the son of the late former king, Ahmet Zogu.

Mr Zogu's party has vowed to restore "the faith people have lost in politicians".

What is the likely result?

Opinion polls suggest the race between the Socialists and the Democrats will go down to the wire.

A total of 27 parties and almost 3,000 candidates are taking part, with around 2.8m Albanians registered to vote.

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