The report ‘Campaign Financing for the 2025 Parliamentary Elections in Albania: Sources, Expenditures and Reporting Transparency’ analyses official financial reports submitted to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), combining structured datasets with comparative financial analysis to identify key trends in campaign expenditures, sources of funding and reporting inconsistencies that influence the transparency of electoral competition.
According to the report, electoral subjects declared approximately 485 million ALL (around €4.9 million) in campaign expenditures. Financial resources were strongly concentrated among the two largest political blocs, which together accounted for more than 88% of total campaign spending, confirming a pronounced structural imbalance in campaign financing between major political actors and smaller electoral subjects.
The analysis shows that campaign spending was primarily directed toward a limited number of strategic categories related to political communication and campaign management, including consultancy services, media advertising, social media promotion and campaign rallies. Consultancy services and media represented the largest spending categories, much of it concentrated among a limited number of providers.
At the same time, the report finds that campaign financing in Albania continues to rely primarily on internal party resources and public funding allocations, while contributions from individual donors represent a comparatively smaller share of reported income. Approximately two-thirds of declared campaign income falls within the category of internally generated party funds, a classification that often includes transfers from party structures and previously accumulated financial reserves. However, the report highlights that this category remains one of the least transparent components of campaign financing, as detailed source breakdowns are frequently not provided in financial statements.
While political parties formally complied with reporting obligations established under Albania’s electoral framework, the report identifies several structural limitations affecting the accessibility, comparability and completeness of campaign finance information, including limited standardisation of expenditure descriptions, insufficient detail regarding certain categories such as consultancy and social media services, and restricted availability of machine-readable datasets for independent analysis by civil society and researchers.
The findings provide an evidence-based contribution to ongoing discussions on political finance transparency and electoral integrity safeguards in Albania, particularly in light of recent legislative amendments affecting campaign expenditure ceilings and reporting obligations. By systematising financial data submitted to the Central Electoral Commission, the report supports efforts by institutions, civil society organisations and international partners to strengthen oversight mechanisms and improve the transparency of campaign financing practices.
This report was prepared by BIRN Albania with the support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), within the framework of the project “Western Balkans Framework: Investing in Democratic Resilience”, funded by the FCDO through the British Embassy in Tirana.
For an English copy of the report click here.
For an Albanian copy of the report click here.