Although Euronews Albania’s Exit Poll shows that the SMI will win 6-8 mandates, analysts in the studio believe that the role of President Ilir Meta is a decisive factor for the result.

Analyst Adri Nurellari said on Ilva Now that “Meta is a determinant factor of SMI voters”.

While for the former State Commissioner Denar Biba “President Meta was not able to uphold the votes of the SMI as they fell from 19 to 6 mandates”.

For Iris Luarasi, if President Meta would have renounced from the presidency and taken over SMI’s leadership the party would have secured a better result.

“If Meta would have resigned and taken over SMI’s leadership, it would have increased the number of voters. He played political games from the seat of the president to secure votes for the SMI”, she said.