To What Extend the Democratic Party of Albania is Conservative? A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis of This Political Party

Abstract

This paper will shed light upon the profile of the Democratic Party of Albania aiming to examine whether the party’s self-claimed ideology of conservatism is in coherence and cohesion with its political evolution, policies and activities during democratic transition since early 1990s. Moreover, the party’s doctrine will be inspected through the leader’s sole philosophy as the first shaper and founding –father of the party. The empirical comparison with the other sister-like European political parties will be expounded by the theoretical interpretations on conservative values and conservative ideology. I argue that the profile of the Democratic Party of Albania draws mainly from the core values of classical conservatism; however, it also demonstrates particular features shaped by its leadership authoritarian authenticity and the domestic political - economic legacy of Albania