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European Royals

Crown Prince Leka proposes idea to ban political parties in Albania

Crown Prince Leka II of Albania has criticised Albania’s politicians after the country has had what the European Union has described being as chaotic local elections. The head of the Albanian Royal Family pointed out that his grandfather in the 1930s banned all political parties in the country and hinted that he thinks this may be a good idea to do again today.

The Crown Prince published the following tweet Thursday:

The local elections closed on Sunday in Albania after a calm day of voting for mayoral elections, which the country’s opposition parties were boycotting. No major incidents were reported, even as those who were casting a vote were, in some places, mocked by those not voting with songs from the country’s communist past.

Crown Prince Leka has not stayed away from politics in Albania, something some other exiled royals in the Balkans have chosen to do after they could return to their homeland after communism broke down. Leka has repeatedly stated himself politically. Among other things, last year, the Crown Prince stated that he wanted a reunion between Albania and Kosovo and believed that such a union had been best governed under a monarchy.

Crown Prince Leka of Albania was born in 1982 as the only child of the first Leka, Crown Prince of Albania, and Susan Cullen-Ward. Prince Leka was an official at the Albanian Ministry of Interior, and in the past, he has served as an advisor at the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Presidency. The Crown Prince is referred by some Albanian monarchists as King Leka II since the death of his father, whom they referred to as Leka I.

In May 2010, the Prince became engaged to Elia Zaharia, an Albanian actress and singer. They married on 8 October 2016 in Tirana. The Kingdom of Albania was a constitutional monarchy in Albania between 1928 and 1939. During this period, Albania was regarded as a protectorate of the Kingdom of Italy.

About author

Senior Europe Correspondent Oskar Aanmoen has a master in military and political history of the Nordic countries. He has written six books on historical subjects and more than 1.500 articles for Royal Central. He has also interview both Serbian and Norwegian royals. Aanmoen is based in Oslo, Norway.