Background and career
Edvin Kristaq "Edi" Rama (born 4 July 1964) is an Albanian politician, artist, writer, and former professional basketball player who has served as prime minister of Albania since 2013 and as chairman of the Socialist Party of Albania since 2005. He was the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports from 1998 to 2000 and the Mayor of Tirana from 2000 to 2011.
A coalition of centre-left parties led by Rama in the 2013 parliamentary election defeated the incumbent centre-right coalition led by Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party of Albania. Rama was appointed prime minister for additional terms following parliamentary elections in 2017, 2021, and 2025.
Rama is the only Albanian prime minister to have won four consecutive terms. During Rama's tenure, Albania has seen economic growth but also democratic backsliding, with various sources describing his rule as autocratic. Albania has also continued to suffer from increased emigration.
Rama was one of the initiators of Open Balkan, an economic zone of the Western Balkan countries intended to guarantee the "Four Freedoms".
