Albania

Albania is an Adriatic nation of the Western Balkans, a country whose pro-European orientation is among the most resolute in the region. A candidate since 2014, it opened accession negotiations in 2020 and has since become, alongside Montenegro, one of the clear frontrunners of EU enlargement, opening successive clusters and advancing on justice reform and the fight against organised crime and corruption.

Albania's progress on the fundamentals — judicial reform, anti-corruption, the rule of law — has been recognised by the European Union, even as much work remains to consolidate these gains and ensure free media and inclusive political dialogue. Internationally, Albania is a committed NATO ally and a constructive regional actor, aiming to conclude negotiations within the coming years. Yet its democratic maturation, like that of its neighbours, must be deepened and protected at every step.

A nation moving with determination towards Europe, Albania embodies an idea dear to the European Democrats: that the European project still inspires, still pulls nations forward, and still rewards those who do the hard work of reform — and that the democrats driving that change deserve Europe's full support.