Purple party in Albania as Socialist Rama eyes landslide, promises EU candidacy in a year

TIRANA, Albania — Albania's Socialist party appeared headed for a landslide election victory Tuesday, in what it says will act as a springboard for the country's future membership of the European Union.

Socialist supporters on foot and in cars braved a heat wave to celebrate in the city center, waving purple party flags as the country's election commission gave the party led by Edi Rama 52 percent of vote, with 80 percent of ballots counted.

"We continue to calmly wait for our opponent to accept defeat," Rama told supporters who chanted "victory, victory."

Conservative Prime Minister Sali Berisha, who had been seeking a third term, had yet to concede defeat in Sunday's general election. Berisha's Democrats had 36 percent of the vote counted — 12 percentage points less than four years ago.

Both Rama, 48, and Berisha, 68, had campaigned on the pledge of gaining EU candidate status for Albania, which was once one of the world's most reclusive countries during its Communist years. Albania has already taken strides in joining international institutions — in 2009, it became a member of NATO.

Rama's central campaign promise was summed up his party's program: "Our commitment: Getting the candidate status and the launch of the membership negotiations into the EU within the first year of the governing mandate."

But that would require swift and sweeping reforms in areas highlighted by the EU as the country's enduring weak points, including the judiciary, organized crime, and widespread corruption.

Wedged between crisis-hit Greece and Italy, Albania is heavily reliant on remittances from its migrant workers and has suffered since recession swept across southern Europe.

With growth muted, the new government will be tasked to slash budget deficits, modernize production and agriculture and breathe life into the emerging tourism industry.

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule praised the "overall orderly manner" of the Albanian elections.

But they added that once the results are certified, that a new government is formed quickly in order "to address the immediate challenges ahead to ensure that the country's reform agenda is vigorously pursued."

Sunday's election was marred by a deadly shooting outside a polling station in northern Albania. International observers cited significant improvements from previous polls, but said the election process had suffered from intense party rivalry.

The CEC is dominated by Berisha allies despite a damaging split in the conservative coalition in April.