Legality Movement Party

Legality Movement Party
Partia Lëvizja e Legalitetit
ChairmanShpëtim Axhami
Secretary-GeneralLurian Mena
Deputy LeaderEdmond Guri
National Council LeaderFatmir Haveriku
Founded24–25 November 1962 (1962-11-25)
Registered20 February 1992
HeadquartersRruga Muhamet Gjollesha, Tirana
NewspaperGazeta Atdheu
Youth wingPLL Youth Forum (Leader: Martin Toro)
Women WingLegalist Women's Forum (Leader: Anila Biba)
Diaspora WingLegalist Diaspora (Leader: Sulejman Gjana)
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing to far-right
National affiliation
International affiliationInternational Monarchist Conference
ColorsYellow, Red
SloganAtdheu mbi të gjitha
('Homeland above all')
National Assembly
1 / 140
Council seats
22 / 1,613
Party flag
Website
www.legaliteti.al

The Legality Movement Party (Albanian: Partia Lëvizja e Legalitetit, abbr. PLL) is a monarchist political party in Albania led by Shpëtim Axhami. It supports the restoration of the Albanian monarchy under the House of Zogu, with the house's current head Prince Leka crowned as king. The party has also been characterised as conservative and nationalist.

The PLL claims a direct continuity with the original Legality Movement active during World War II, as its founding members were former Legality Movement members or supporters. Exiled members of the Legality Movement held their first congress in exile in 1962, and the party was re-established in Albania in 1992 after the fall of communism in Albania.

History

The PLL traces its roots back to the Legality Movement (1943–1944), a royalist political and paramilitary organisation active during World War II which sought to restore the House of Zogu to the Albanian throne. The 1924 in the PLL's logo is a reference to the 24 December 1924 counter-revolution of Zog I, which restored the king to his throne and deposed the government installed by the June Revolution earlier that year.[1]

Former members of the Legality Movement held their first "congress in exile" from 24 to 25 November 1962, at the Sheraton-Atlantic Hotel in New York City, United States. They held nine more congresses in exile before the fall of communism in Albania and the legalisation of opposition parties in the country.[1] Those former members and their supporters subsequently registered the Legality Movement Party as a political party on 20 February 1992.[2]

The party contested its first parliamentary election in 1996, receiving 2.07 percent of the popular vote and no seats.[3] In early elections held the following year, the party garnered 3.25 percent of the popular vote and won two seats.[3]

In the 2001 parliamentary election, the PLL was part of the Union for Victory electoral coalition, which received 37% of the popular vote and won 46 seats.[3][4]

The party returned to parliament with the election of one deputy in 2021.[5] It joined the Alliance for a Great Albania electoral coalition in the lead up to the 2025 parliamentary election.[6]

Ideology and program

The PLL has been described as conservative, monarchist, and nationalist.[7][8][9] A royalist party, the PLL advocates the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in Albania with Prince Leka (not to be confused with his father, Crown Prince Leka), the current head of the House of Zogu, crowned as King of the Albanians.[7][10] However, the party's program states that this should be done only if a majority of Albanians vote for it in a referendum on the republic.[10] Nonetheless, Cas Mudde, a Dutch political scientist specialising in political extremism and populism in Europe, describes the PLL as an "extreme-right monarchist party".[7]

In its program, the party emphasises the rule of law, democratic institutions, and civil liberties, particularly freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of assembly. It supports the rights of ethnic minorities in Albania "on equal and reciprocal terms", the autonomy of trade unions, and the integration of the Albanian diaspora into domestic politics and society. The PLL maintains a strong anti-communist stance and seeks the legal recognition and support of former political prisoners of the socialist era. The party also supports a secular state.[10]

Leadership

The PLL is chaired by Shpetim Axhami, a former city councillor and educator during the 1990s and 2000s.[11][12]

Leader of the Party

Leader Term of office
1 Nuçi Kotta 24 November, 1962 20 July, 1965
2 Selim Damani 20 July, 1965 2 September, 1968
3 Fuad Myftija 2 September, 1968 30 May,1993
4 Guri Durollari 30 May, 1993 12 April, 1998
5 Ekrem Spahiu 12 April, 1998 24 November, 2013
6 Sulejman Gjana 24 November, 2013 25 November, 2017
7 Shpëtim Axhami 25 November, 2017 incumbent

Internal leadership

  • Chairman - Shpetim Axhami
  • General Secretary - Lurian Mena
  • Deputy Chairman - Edmond Guri
  • National Council Leader - Fatmir Haveriku
  • Political Secretary - Nazif Sula
  • Property and land Secretary - Ferit Nela
  • Diaspora Secretary - Sulejman Gjana
  • Urban Development Secretary - Arben Kollçaku
  • Secretary of Electoral Human Resources - Afrim Kice
  • Finance Secretary - Eda Shehu
  • Justice Secretary - Hajredin Janina


International relations

The PLL is a member of the International Monarchist Conference.[13]

Election results

PLL parliamentary election results
Election Votes % Seats +/– Outcome
1996 34,019 2.07 (#6)
0 / 140
New Extraparliamentary opposition
1997 42,567 3.25 (#3)
2 / 140
2 Opposition
2001 Part of the UV coalition
5 / 140
3 Opposition
2005 Did not participate
0 / 140
5 Opposition
2009 10,711 0.71 (#)
0 / 140
Extraparliamentary opposition
2013 6,089 0.35 (#)
0 / 140
0 Extraparliamentary opposition
2017 Did not participate
0 / 140
0 Extraparliamentary opposition
2021 Part of PD-AN
2 / 140
2 Opposition
2025 Part of ASHM
1 / 140
1 Opposition

Members of Parliament

Current

Denisa Vata MP for Dibër, 2025–present

Former

Councillors

[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Historiku i Partisë" [Party History]. Legality Movement Party "Homeland Above All" (in Albanian). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Deklaratë e PLL" [PLL Statement] (in Albanian). Legality Movement Party. Retrieved 8 April 2025 – via Facebook.
  3. ^ a b c Nohlen, Dieter; Stöver, Philip (2010). Elections in Europe: A Data Handbook. Nomos. p. 133. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  4. ^ Republic of Albania Parliamentary Elections (PDF) (Report). Warsaw: Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. 2001. p. 4.
  5. ^ "Zgjedhjet për Kuvend 25 prill 2021" [Assembly Elections 25 April 2021] (in Albanian). Tirana: Komisioni Qendror i Zgjedhjeve. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  6. ^ "PD firmos me 25 aleatë, koalicionin 'Aleanca për Shqipërinë Madhështore'! Ja pikat e marrëveshjes" [DP signs with 25 allies, the coalition 'Alliance for a Great Albania'! Here are the points of the agreement]. Bota Sot (in Albanian).
  7. ^ a b c Mudde, Cas (2000). "Extreme-right Parties in Eastern Europe". Patterns of Prejudice. 34 (1): 8. doi:10.1080/00313220008559132. S2CID 143778926.
  8. ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram. "Albania". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 6 October 2002.
  9. ^ Stojarová, Vera; Emerson, Peter (2 October 2013). Party Politics in the Western Balkans. Routledge. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-135-23585-7. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  10. ^ a b c "Programi" [Program]. Legality Movement Party "Homeland Above All" (in Albanian). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Axhami: Shqipëria ende nuk ka vendosur standardet e demokracisë" [Axhami: Albania has not yet set the standards of democracy]. Voice of America (in Albanian). Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  12. ^ "Kryetari i Partisë" [Party Chairman]. Legality Movement Party "Homeland Above All" (in Albanian). Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  13. ^ "Members". International Monarchist Conference. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  14. ^ "Deputetët dhe Keshilltarët Bashkiak të Partisë Levizja e Legalitetit". Legaliteti.al. Retrieved 8 March 2026.