| Description | Center-right party and one of two predominant in Albania since the Republic of Albania was proclaimed on April 29, 1991 and the first pluralist Parliament emerged from the March 31, 1991 elections, the other being the Socialist Party of Albania (Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë, PS), the successor of the Communist Party of Albania (banned on July 16, 1992; ban repealed in April 1998). The Democratic Party has been co-led and split since 2021 into two factions, one led by the 41st Mayor of Tirana, Lulzim Basha, and the second led by the second President of Albania, Sali Berisha. Both Basha and Berisha lead the party under two separate names, platforms and logos - Basha leads the "Democratic Party" (DP), and Berisha leads the "Democratic Party of Albania" (DPSH). Both factions combined hold 50 seats in the 140-seat Albania Assembly, and six in the 61-seat Senate. Before the split, the party was instrumental in finalizing Albania's membership into NATO on April 2, 2009, and its ascension into the EU on December 15, 2010 [Partia Demokratike (PD) and Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë (PDsh); the Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Albania; party uses two logos]. |
