As Albania headed toward its May 11, 2025, elections, the campaign unfolded across both traditional media and social networks. Citizens navigated between televised debates and viral TikTok videos. From rallies to Instagram reels, Albania experienced a hybrid campaign where mainstream headlines and social clips competed to shape public opinion.
A Surge of Election Coverage in News and Online
In late April, election-related media coverage spiked, with nearly 50 news articles published daily at its peak. In just one week, 147 news articles drove over 4,000 interactions. Meanwhile, politicians posted only 18 times on social media, and just six opinion columns were published. Engagement followed suit, with traditional media clearly dominating. Peaks in coverage matched key moments—a major poll and EU intervention around April 29–30—before dipping and rising again as the election neared.
What Albanians Read and Shared: Top Election Stories
The stories that sparked the most public interest included:
EU Promises: Euronews Albania’s coverage of PM Rama pledging EU-led reforms and a €650 minimum wage topped engagement.
Poll Results: Top Channel’s reporting on McLaughlin polling results stirred debate and curiosity.
Democracy at Risk: Lapsi and Syri.net highlighted EPP concerns about vote-buying, fueling public scrutiny.
New Alternatives: BalkanWeb’s interview with Agron Shehaj of Partia Mundësia drew notable attention, signaling openness to new voices.
Giants and Underdogs: Which Parties Won the Visibility Race?
The opposition Democrats (PD) appeared in nearly twice as many articles as the ruling Socialists (PS), though both parties generated comparable engagement—over 350,000 and 327,000 respectively. PS media coverage emphasized EU integration, SPAK, and pensions. PD focused heavily on corruption, justice, and ties with the U.S. Smaller parties like Lëvizja Bashkë and Shqipëría Bëhet struggled for media space but turned to social media to amplify their messages.
The Social Media Battleground: Facebook, Instagram… and TikTok
Politicians turned to social platforms with mixed intensity. Facebook remained dominant in volume, with politicians posting around 24 times each, followed by Instagram and YouTube. TikTok trailed in output, but not in impact. It generated the highest average engagement per post—around 833—more than double that of Instagram and Facebook.
Facebook was used for announcements and live streams, Instagram for visuals, and TikTok for creative, informal outreach. Despite an earlier government-imposed TikTok ban, content on the platform surged during the campaign, especially among smaller parties who relied on it to reach younger audiences.
TikTok Stars and Digital Campaigners
The standout TikTok performer was activist Arlind Qori of Lëvizja Bashkë, whose short, fiery videos attracted over 1 million views and 50,000 engagements in one week. Veteran politician Sali Berisha also thrived on the platform, using it to mobilize his base despite the ban. Their success reflected a shift in how politicians engage voters: with direct, relatable messaging that breaks from formal campaigning.
While TikTok reach doesn't guarantee votes, it has helped new voices like Qori’s build visibility that traditional media denied. Candidates across the spectrum began exploring TikTok’s potential to connect personally with audiences.
Blurring the Lines: Traditional Media Meets Social Media
TV channels and news portals embraced social media, posting debate clips and headlines to drive online engagement. In turn, viral social content often made the news. This feedback loop meant voters could follow the campaign on any platform and still stay informed. Despite this shift, legacy media continued to set the agenda, especially for older and rural audiences, with social media amplifying their narratives.
Conclusion: A New Hybrid Campaign Era
Albania’s 2025 elections demonstrated the growing fusion of traditional and digital campaigning. While traditional and digital media remained critical for credibility and reach, platforms like TikTok injected fresh energy and gave rise to new political players. For voters, this hybrid landscape meant more ways to access and engage with politics—but also more complexity in navigating truth, noise, and influence.
Future campaigns will likely double down on multimedia strategies, blending storytelling with shareable content. As platforms evolve, mastering both televised debate and digital virality will be key to political success in Albania's changing media ecosystem.
Sources: The analysis is based on social media and news monitoring data from the 2025 Albanian election period. Key insights on article engagement and social media performance as well as context on political narratives and social media usage come from pikasa.ai – election scanner product. Additional media coverage and election polls results were utilized. These sources collectively illustrate the interplay of media and social platforms in Albania’s 2025 campaign.