Straight answers

No. Shqipëria Bashkuar is a nonpartisan civic initiative.

We don't back any party or candidate. We're not seeking political office, and we're not building a structure to bring any particular person or group to power.

Our demand is single and concrete: the creation of a dedicated electoral district for the diaspora, with direct representation in Parliament.

No, and the reform we are asking for reduces the diaspora's influence over domestic races rather than increasing it.

Right now, every ballot cast from abroad is counted as if it had been cast in the district the voter left. Diaspora votes go directly into the twelve domestic races, where they help decide seats in places the voter no longer lives.

A dedicated diaspora district takes those votes out of the twelve. Albanians abroad would vote as one electoral unit for a small number of seats of their own, and would stop tilting the races in Korçë, Dibër or Fier.

So if your objection is that people abroad should not be picking the MP for a district they left, you should want this reform. It is the version of diaspora voting that keeps the diaspora out of domestic districts. The current system is the one that puts us in them.

We are not asking to govern Albania from abroad. We are asking for a defined number of seats accountable to Albanians abroad, and for our votes to stop landing in races that are not ours.

Because a demand with no identifiable people behind it can easily be ignored.

Every registration helps us show how many Albanians support the diaspora district, which countries supporters live in, how many are citizens and potential voters, and how many people can be mobilized when action is needed.

Registering is not a vote and not a legal petition. It's the first step in building an organized, reachable community with a shared demand.

Yes. Registration is completely free and takes less than two minutes.

There is no membership fee and you are not required to donate.

Your data is used only to run and communicate about Shqipëria Bashkuar.

It helps us confirm there are real people behind registrations, understand the reach of our diaspora, send updates and calls to action, and help supporters with information on registering and voting from abroad.

Your data is never sold or shared with third parties for commercial or political purposes. You can ask to correct or delete your data and unsubscribe from our communications at any time.

We're asking for the creation of a dedicated electoral district for the diaspora, with reserved seats in Parliament.

Today, the votes of Albanians abroad are counted within the 12 existing districts, based on each voter's district of origin. We ask that diaspora votes be gathered into one dedicated electoral unit that directly elects its representatives.

This would bring representatives elected directly by the diaspora, candidates who answer to voters abroad, distinct representation of diaspora interests, and more political accountability to Albanians abroad.

The 2025 elections marked the first time Albanians abroad voted from the countries where they live. That was an important step.

But diaspora votes were not counted in a dedicated district. They were folded into the results of the 12 existing districts, based on the voter's district of origin.

This means the diaspora can influence party results within districts, but elects no dedicated MPs who directly represent Albanians abroad.

The problem is not that the votes aren't counted. It's that they're counted in a system that produces no direct representation for the diaspora.

In the current system, diaspora votes are split among 12 districts.

With a dedicated district: voters abroad would form one electoral unit; their votes would be counted together; parties or candidates would compete specifically for the diaspora vote; seats set aside for the diaspora would be allocated by that district's result; and elected MPs would answer directly to voters abroad.

So the change is a shift from participation without dedicated representation to direct representation.

Two hundred thousand is not a legal threshold and doesn't automatically guarantee the reform passes. It's an organizing goal.

A community of around 200,000 registered, reachable supporters spread across many countries would carry significant public and electoral weight.

That number would help us show the demand has real support, ask parties to state their position, inform and mobilize voters, organize meetings and public actions, and create a political cost for ignoring the diaspora.

The number is a tool for organizing, not a replacement for the legal process.

A list of names doesn't become law on its own. It shows support and creates public pressure.

To create the diaspora district, a legislative proposal has to be prepared and passed by Parliament. Depending on the legal model, this may require changes to the Electoral Code and possibly constitutional changes.

Our job is to build the civic support that makes the reform politically reasonable to pass, harder to ignore, and measurable through MPs' positions and votes.

We build the pressure. Parliament passes the law.

The system's problems are exactly why organizing matters.

International observers reported concerns about pressure on public employees and voters, misuse of state resources, intimidation, and cases of vote-buying in the 2025 elections.

Albanians abroad usually don't depend on the Albanian administration for their work, wage, or everyday services. This can make them less exposed to some forms of local pressure.

But we don't claim the diaspora is immune to propaganda, party influence, or family pressure. Its strength is that it can organize with more independence and hold parties to account without the same dependencies that exist inside the country.

Yes. Several European countries use dedicated electoral areas, reserved seats, or other forms of representation for citizens abroad.

Italy, France, Croatia, Portugal, and Romania have different models for the parliamentary representation of their citizens abroad.

We don't propose that Albania copy a foreign model blindly. We ask that these models be studied and a system suited to Albania be built.

The principle is proven: citizens abroad can elect representatives directly tied to them.

No. Albania should be governed by its institutions and by the citizens who take part in the democratic process. The diaspora should not replace the citizens living in Albania.

But Albanians abroad are not foreigners to their own country. Many are citizens, have family and property in Albania, contribute economically, and have the right to vote.

We're asking for a limited number of seats that represent the diaspora within Parliament, not control of Parliament from abroad. This is representation, not governing from a distance.

Because without dedicated seats, diaspora votes keep becoming part of the 12 districts' races and create no distinct representation.

Reserved seats ensure that part of Parliament is elected directly by voters abroad, that diaspora issues have accountable representatives, that candidates seek the diaspora vote with concrete programs, and that representatives answer to the electorate that chose them.

The number and the way seats are allocated should be set through a credible legal and technical process.

No. The goal is not to give the diaspora a stronger vote.

The goal is for its vote to translate into direct representation, just like the vote of citizens in Albania's districts.

The model should respect equality of the vote, proportionality, and the size of Parliament. We're asking for a fair formula, not a privilege.

This should be defined in the legal changes.

The law should set clear rules for citizenship, residence, ties to the diaspora, how one runs, declaration of interests, campaign financing, and accountability to voters.

The goal should be that candidates have real ties to the communities they aim to represent. It's not enough for parties to place symbolic names with no connection to the diaspora.

No. Anyone who supports the mission can join Shqipëria Bashkuar.

However, only Albanian citizens can vote in Albania's elections. That's why we ask about citizenship — to understand how many supporters are also potential voters.

Albanians without active citizenship can still help by sharing the initiative, helping with organizing, contributing time or skills, helping their relatives get informed, and supporting the demand publicly.

Yes. Shqipëria Bashkuar doesn't require members to share the same views on every issue. You can be left, right, center, or of no political affiliation.

What unites us is a single demand: the Albanian diaspora should have direct representation in Parliament.

Yes. You can unsubscribe from our emails at any time.

You can also request a copy of your data, its correction, its deletion, or a stop to communications.

Leaving the list has no fee and requires no explanation.

Registration is free.

We may ask for voluntary contributions to cover costs such as technology, communications, informational materials, organizing activities, legal research, and growing the community.

Any contribution must be voluntary and separate from the right to join. No one should have to pay to be part of the initiative.

Shqipëria Bashkuar was created by diaspora Albanians who believe representation shouldn't be left only to the existing parties. The leaders' names and roles are published on the About page.

The initiative should operate with defined responsibilities, financial transparency, internal rules, data protection, and conflict-of-interest controls.

No one should ask for the public's trust while hiding behind a logo.

By setting clear rules from the start.

Shqipëria Bashkuar must maintain a ban on supporting parties or candidates, financing transparency, declaration of conflicts of interest, control over use of the member list, decision-making by published rules, and limits on using the initiative for personal ambition.

It's not enough to declare we're nonpartisan. We have to prove it through how we organize.

It can fade only if it stays a moment's reaction. That's why this initiative isn't built around protest alone.

We're building a defined demand, a registered community, a legal and political plan, a network of ambassadors, continuous communication, measurement of support, and concrete steps for each phase.

We can't promise change will come quickly. We can promise the demand won't be dropped once the moment's attention fades.

Three steps. First, add your name and become part of the community that supports the diaspora district.

Second, invite another Albanian — share the initiative with a family member, friend, or colleague abroad.

Third, get involved: apply as a volunteer, ambassador, or team member if you have the time and skills to contribute.