Caught in these rivalries, DUI seems to be losing its reformative power. The project for the “DUI of the next 20 years” was aimed at the renewal, not the restoration, of the political entity. The green agenda may fade already when the “fire” is “localized” within the party, while it is likely to return to its old identity. The next elections will show how successful this turn will be.
Author: Xhelal Neziri
The public clashes within the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) seem to have come to an end with the election of the new Presidency and other party bodies. The faction led by Musa Xhaferri got a party vice-president and two secretaries, but not the General Secretary that they originally wanted. The leaders of this group are also part of the new party leadership, while Xhaferri is accommodated in the Supervisory Council of the party.
According to Article 77 of the DUI Statute, the Supervisory Council consists of 5 members and supervises the acts and decisions approved by the party bodies, supervision of the party’s material and financial situation, evaluates the legal acts of the party if they are in harmony with the Statute and interprets the Statute between congress sessions.
The members of the Supervisory Council are elected by the General Council by secret ballot, on the proposal of the party chairman for a 4-year term, with the right to re-election. The members elected by a majority of votes, within 10 days after receiving the mandate, elect a president and vice president from among themselves. It is possible that Musa Xhaferri will be elected as the head of this body. This would be a spectacular “comeback” on the political scene.
And this “comeback” of Xhaferri is related to another decision of the General Council: the announcement of internal elections in all branches and local councils, with the exception of 11 branches where this process was completed at the beginning of this year. In addition to the branches and the Youth Forum, in 2023 the 5th electoral Congress of DUI has also been scheduled. This Congress will solve the dilemma if Ali Ahmeti decides to end the era of his political activity, which would pave the way for the election of a new party leader. But Ahmeti himself, in a statement to the media, said that he has no intention of retiring from the first position in DUI, warning that he will lead the party until 2030. As the only unifying figure and with authority over internal groups, he is clear that his departure could bring clashes that would produce new subjects in the political scene.
Caught in these rivalries, DUI seems to be losing its reformative power. The project for the “DUI of the next 20 years” was aimed at the renewal, not the restoration, of the political party. The green agenda may already fade when the “fire” is “localized” within the party, while it is likely to return to its old identity. How successful this turn will be, the next elections will show.
However, the race to take over the leadership of the party from the public sphere has shifted to the intra-party sphere. The goal of dismissing Artan Grub from the position of first deputy prime minister was not achieved, but he will no longer be the organizational secretary. The battle for “pole position” in this great race for the head of the party will continue to be intense in the period to come.