Lindita Nikolla elected Albania’s new parliament speaker

By Fatjon Cuka and Dzihat Aliju

TIRANA, Albania (AA) - Lindita Nikolla has been elected the new parliament speaker of Albania on Friday.

In the Albanian Parliament, Nikolla received 79 votes in favor and four against.

Lawmakers from the opposition Democratic Party torn the ballot sheets in a sign of protest.

Albania’s ruling Socialist Party (SP) was the winner of the general elections on April 25, securing 74 of parliament’s 140 seats, according to the country’s election commission.

The Socialist Party, headed by Prime Minister Edi Rama, will stay in power for a third term.

The alliance led by the Democratic Party came in second in the election with 59 deputies.

The Socialist Integration Movement got four seats, while the Social Democratic Party have three deputies.

Nikolla served as the minister of education, sports and youth in the previous governments under Rama.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz