Parliament seals the new territorial map, Albania with 46 municipalities

After a marathon session, accompanied by debates and tensions in the Parliament chamber, the Territorial Reform was approved with 85 votes in favour and 34 against, with no abstentions. In the plenary session, which continued past midnight, the majority voted the draft law in principle, article by article and as a whole, paving the way for the reorganisation of the country’s administrative-territorial division. The reform provides for the abolition of 15 municipalities, bringing the number of local government units from 61 down to 46.

During the discussions in Parliament, opposition MPs opposed the proposed changes, arguing that the reform does not represent the interests of citizens and undermines local autonomy. According to them, the new territorial division should aim to increase the number of municipalities to 100, instead of reducing them. Despite the objections and the tensions created during the session, the majority secured the votes needed to approve the draft law.

Under the chairmanship of the Speaker of Parliament, Niko Peleshi, the plenary session also approved six draft laws and one draft decision.

During the proceedings, the head of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group, Taulant Balla, submitted a request to change the agenda. The request provided for postponing to the next session the review of two draft laws: the one on ratifying the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, adopted in Luxembourg on 13 May 2025, and the one on ratifying the agreement between Albania and North Macedonia on establishing joint border crossing points and carrying out joint controls.