This is a list of heads of state of Albania who have served since the Declaration of Independence of 1912.

Since the collapse of the communist regime in 1991, the head of state of Albania is the President of the Republic (Albanian: Presidenti i Republikës). The President is indirectly elected to a five-year term and is limited to a maximum of two terms, as specified by the Constitution. As in most parliamentary systems, the President is now by-and-large a ceremonial office, with the Prime Minister de facto heading the executive branch.[1]

Heads of State

Monarchs

No. Portrait Name Reign Royal House
Flag of Albania (1914–1920).svg
Principality of Albania (1914–1925)
1
Princ Vidi (portret).jpg
Wilhelm of Wied
(1876–1945)
Princ Vidi (nënshkrim).svg
7 March 1914 3 September 1914 Wied-Neuwied
5 months and 27 days
Flag of Albania (1934–1939).svg
Albanian Kingdom (1928–1939)
2
Zog I (portrait).jpg
Zog I
(1895–1961)
Zogu (nënshkrim).svg
1 September 1928 7 April 1939 Zogu
10 years, 7 months and 6 days
Flag of Albania (1939–1943).svg
Italian protectorate of Albania (1939–1943)
3
Vittorio Emanuele III e nipote.JPG
Vittorio Emanuele III
(1869–1947)
Vittorio Emanuele III Autograph.svg
16 April 1939 8 September 1943 Savoy
4 years, 4 months and 23 days

Chairmen of the Presidium

No. Portrait Name Term in office Party
Flag of Albania (1946–1992).svg
People's Socialist Republic of Albania (1944–1991)
4
Omer Nishani.jpg
Omer Nishani
(1887–1954)
Omer Nishani (nënshkrim).svg
26 May 1944 31 July 1953 Communist Party
renamed in 1948 to
Party of Labour
9 years, 2 months and 5 days
5
Haxhi Lleshi (portret).jpg
Haxhi Lleshi
(1913–1998)
Haxhi Lleshi (nënshkrim).svg
1 August 1953 21 November 1982 Party of Labour
29 years, 3 months and 20 days
6
Ramiz Alia (i ri).jpg
Ramiz Alia
(1925–2011)
Ramiz Alia (nënshkrim).svg
22 November 1982 3 April 1992
9 years, 4 months and 12 days

First Secretaries

No. Portrait Name Term in office Party
Flag of Albania (1946–1992).svg
People's Socialist Republic of Albania (1944–1991)
1
Enver Hoxha60 (cropped).jpg
Enver Hoxha
(1908–1985)
Enver Hoxha (signature).svg
20 October 1944 11 April 1985 † Communist Party
renamed in 1948 to
Party of Labour
40 years, 5 months and 22 days
2
Ramiz Alia (i ri).jpg
Ramiz Alia
(1925–2011)
Ramiz Alia (nënshkrim).svg
13 April 1985 13 June 1991 Party of Labour
6 years and 21 days

Presidents

No. Portrait Name Term in office Nominated by
Flag of Albania (1926–1928).svg
Albanian Republic (1925–1928)
(2)
Zog I (portrait).jpg
Ahmet Zogu
(1895–1961)
Zogu (nënshkrim).svg
31 January 1925 1 September 1928 Conservative Party
3 years and 7 months
Flag of Albania.svg
Republic of Albania (1991–present)
(6)
Ramiz Alia (i ri).jpg
Ramiz Alia
(1925–2011)
Ramiz Alia (nënshkrim).svg
30 April 1991 3 April 1992 Party of Labour
11 months and 4 days
7
Sali Berisha 2008.jpg
Sali Berisha
(born 1944)
Sali Berisha (nënshkrim).svg
9 April 1992 24 July 1997 Democratic Party
5 years, 3 months and 15 days
8
Rexhep Meidani (2000).jpg
Rexhep Meidani
(born 1944)
Rexhep Meidani (nënshkrim).svg
24 July 1997 24 July 2002 Socialist Party
5 years
9
AlfredMoisiu.png
Alfred Moisiu
(born 1929)
Alfred Moisiu (nënshkrim).svg
24 July 2002 24 July 2007 Independent
5 years
10
Bamir Topi.jpg
Bamir Topi
(born 1957)
Bamir Topi (nënshkrim).svg
24 July 2007 24 July 2012 Democratic Party
5 years
11
Bujar Nishani September 2012.jpg
Bujar Nishani
(1966–2022)
Bujar Nishani (nënshkrim).svg
24 July 2012 24 July 2017
5 years
12
Sergio Mattarella e Ilir Meta al Quirinale durante la visita ufficiale 2017 (5) (cropped).jpg
Ilir Meta
(born 1969)
Ilir Meta (nënshkrim).svg
24 July 2017 24 July 2022 Socialist Movement for Integration
5 years
13
Bajram Begaj (para betimit).jpg
Bajram Begaj
(born 1967)
Bajram Begaj (nënshkrim).svg
24 July 2022 Incumbent Independent
5 months

Acting Heads of State

No. Portrait Name Term in office Title
Flag of Albanian Provisional Government (1912-1914).svg
Albania (1912–1914)
1
Ismail Qemali (portrait).jpg
Ismail Qemali
(1844–1919)
Ismail Qemali (nënshkrim).svg
28 November 1912 22 January 1914 Chairman of the Provisional Government
1 year, 1 month and 25 days
2
Fejzi Alizoti (portrait).jpg
Fejzi Alizoti
(1874–1945)
Fejzi Alizoti (nënshkrim).svg
22 January 1914 7 March 1914 Chairman of the Central Administration
1 month and 13 days
Essad Pasha
Republic of Central Albania (1913–1914)
Esad Toptani (portret).jpg
Esad Toptani
(1863–1920)
Esad Toptani (nënshkrim).svg
12 October 1913 12 February 1914 Chairman of the Opposition Council of the Elders of Central Albania
4 months
Flag of Albania (1914–1920).svg
Principality of Albania (1914–1925)
Albania politic personality icon.svg
Mustafa Ndroqi
(????–????)
23 September 1914 4 October 1914 Chairman of the First General Council
11 days
3
Esad Toptani (portret).jpg
Esad Toptani
(1863–1920)
Esad Toptani (nënshkrim).svg
5 October 1914 24 February 1916 Chairman of the Provisional Government
1 year, 4 months and 19 days
Austro-Hungarian Command
(23 January 1916 – 30 October 1918)
4
Turhan Pasha.jpg
Turhan Përmeti
(1839–1927)
Turhan Pasha (nënshkrim).svg
28 December 1918 28 January 1920 Chairman of the Provisional Government
1 year and 1 month
5
Sulejman Delvina (portrait).jpg
Sulejman Delvina
(1884–1933)
Sulejman Delvina (nënshkrim).svg
28 January 1920 30 January 1920 Acting Chairman of the Provisional Government
2 days
High Council of Regency
(30 January 1920 – 31 January 1925)
6
Fan Stilian Noli.jpg
Fan Noli
(1882–1965)
Fan Noli (nënshkrim).svg
2 July 1924 24 December 1924 Acted in place of the High Council
5 months and 22 days
Flag of Albania (1939–1943).svg
Italian protectorate of Albania (1939–1943)
7
Xhafer Ypi.jpg
Xhafer Ypi
(1880–1940)
Xhafer Ypi (nënshkrim).svg
9 April 1939 12 April 1939 Chairman of the Provisional Administration Committee
3 days
8
Shefqet Vërlaci (portret).jpg
Shefqet Vërlaci
(1877–1946)
Shefqet Vërlaci (nënshkrim).svg
12 April 1939 16 April 1939
4 days
Flag of Albania (1943–1944).svg
German occupation of Albania (1943–1944)
9
Ibrahim Biçaku (portret).jpg
Ibrahim Biçaku
(1905–1977)
Ibrahim Biçakçiu (nënshkrim).svg
14 September 1943 20 October 1943 Chairman of the Provisional Executive Committee
1 month and 6 days
10
Mehdi Frashëri.jpg
Mehdi Frashëri
(1872–1963)
Mehdi Frashëri (nënshkrim).svg
20 October 1943 25 October 1944 Chairman of the Provisional Administration Committee
1 year and 5 days
Flag of Albania.svg
Republic of Albania (1991–present)
11
Kastriot Islami.jpg
Kastriot Islami
(born 1952)
Kastriot Islami (nënshkrim).svg
3 April 1992 6 April 1992 Speaker of the Parliament
3 days
12 Pjetër Arbnori
(1935–2006)
Pjetër Arbnori (nënshkrim).svg
6 April 1992 9 April 1992
3 days
13
Skënder Gjinushi.jpg
Skënder Gjinushi
(born 1949)
Skënder Gjinushi (nënshkrim).svg
24 July 1997
0 days

See also

References

  1. ^ "Albania Heads of State" (PDF).