Alla impact stories
Civil society in Albania strengthened dialogue ahead of election day
Ahead of Albania’s 2025 general election, citizens were able to engage directly with political candidates through the POP Network – raising questions and highlighting local priorities. By creating space for meaningful dialogue between citizens and decision-makers, the initiative strengthened democratic participation and helped promote greater political accountability.In the run-up to the general election, civil society created new forums for interaction between voters and political candidates.
Through the POP Network, citizens were given the opportunity to ask questions directly to politicians and raise local priorities.
In ten municipalities, public forums were organised where more than 42 candidates met with over 700 citizens in direct dialogue. The discussions were broadcast live and reached over 23,000 viewers online.
The focus was on issues such as governance, transparency, social services and gender equality.
The format was based on local dialogues where residents first identified their most important issues. During the forums, they were then able to demand concrete answers from the candidates.
The initiative helped shift the election campaign from political rhetoric to substantive issues, whilst strengthening citizens’ ability to participate in democracy and hold politicians accountable.
