Local elections tend to take the  temperature of public opinion, or apathy, in most European capitals.In Albania still, recovering from half a century of communist isolation, they are , above all , a hurdle on the road to becoming a "normal" democratic country. Watched closely by numerous international organizations, Albania cleared that hurdle on October 12, voting peacefully and struggling only  with problems such as overflowing ballot boxes, chaotic voter registration and sporadic electricity supplies in many of its mountain towns. Around 80% of Albanians approve of the facelift the mayor has given their capital city, according to polls.
However, the mayor is charged with paying too much attention to cosmetic changes in a country where the vast majority still do not have drinking water, effective sewage systems or regular electricity supplies.