The proposal from DUI to conduct presidential elections within Parliament, allowing lawmakers to choose the country’s President with a two-thirds majority, has faced opposition from certain political factions. Arben Taravari of the Alliance for Albanians (AA) also presented a similar idea, leading to discontent among some political parties.

SDSM, a coalition partner of DUI, expressed their disapproval in a press release, emphasizing that this proposal merely reiterated DUI’s request from 2019. SDSM highlighted that they rejected this approach in the past and maintained their stance that the current model for electing the President should remain unchanged.

SDSM stated, “There should be no regression in democratic processes. The country’s President should be elected directly by the citizens in general elections, as it is the fundamental democratic right of the citizens. A President chosen directly by the citizens possesses the broad potential to unify the society, parties, and contribute to achieving strategic national goals, irrespective of political, ethnic, or other affiliations.”

On the other hand, VMRO-DPMNE accused DUI of introducing romantic nationalism demands in the absence of substantive arguments and projects. They criticized the notion of electing the President in Parliament and questioned whether such conditions would undermine the legitimacy of the presidential turnout.

Maksim Dimitrievski, the leader of the ZNAM Movement and a presidential candidate, opposed the idea of electing the President in Parliament, arguing that it would complicate the state and diminish the authority of the presidential institution. He stressed that ZNAM would not support such a proposition, urging citizens to reject any attempt to make the country a political party’s hostage.

Brane Petrushevski, an MP from VMRO-DPMNE, expressed concerns about DUI’s behavior during the pre-election period, describing their demands as political propaganda. He called on citizens to demonstrate in the upcoming elections that the country is not held hostage by any political party.

In response to the opposition, DUI’s Vice-President and Spokesperson, Arbr Ademi, expressed hope that all political parties would sensibly consider their proposal. Ademi argued that electing the President in Parliament could be a pragmatic solution, minimizing the challenges of a presidential election cycle and aligning with Ali Ahmeti’s vision for the country.