National Assembly
1. The National Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the Party, consisting of 1,100 (one thousand and one hundred) members, who are elected by the Assemblies of DPA branches according to a number determined for each branch by the DPA Presidency. The list of candidates for delegates to the National Assembly is presented to the Branch Assembly by its Presidency. They delegates of the National Assembly are:
a) Members of the National Council of the Democratic Party;
b) Members of the Presidency of the Democratic Party;
c) Parliamentary Members of the Democratic Party in the Assembly of Albania;
ç) Members of the government who are also members of the DPA;
d) Mayors of Municipalities, Prefects, District President who are DPA members;
dh) An equal number of representatives of partner organizations, no more than 10 percent of the number of other members of the National Assembly. The mandate of each member of the Assembly is valid for four years.
2. The National Assembly has a four-year mandate and convenes whenever required according to the provisions of this Statute. According to the rule, the decision to call and convene the National Assembly, is made by the National Assembly, the National Council or, if the latter is unable to convene, it is called by the Presidency of the DPA at the proposal of the Chairman of the DPA.
The Assembly can also be convened when requested by 1/4 of the members of the PDSH or 1/4 of the members of the National Assembly. The right of the members to call the National Assembly is unconditional and self-sufficient.
The date of the Assembly and the agenda are announced by the convened callers at least one month before the first day of the Assembly. The sessions of the Assembly is led by a Commission consisting of 5 members, which is elected at the beginning of its gathering with the proposal, as the case may be, of the Chairman of the Party, or of the initiating group when the Assembly is called by the membership of the DPA or by the delegates of its Assembly.
The verification of the fulfillment of the statutory requirements for the convening of the Assembly by the central bodies or by the membership according to this provision, is carried out and made by the Commission that directs the sessions of the Assembly. In case of opposition to the call of the Assembly meeting by the membership, the objectors have the right to be part of the committee for verifying the call and the quorum of the Assembly meeting. After the verification of the call according to the statute, the Commission declares the call to be regular and fitting and then, continues with the verification, counting and proclamation of the presence of the quorum necessary for the meeting of the Assembly.
3. When the assembly is called by ¼ of the membership or ¼ of the delegates of the Assembly, none of the other central bodies of the DPA have the right to call another meeting of the Assembly, without completing the called meeting. None of the central bodies of the party can take decisions that prevent the holding of the convened meeting of the National Assembly, or change the agenda determined by the convening callers of the meeting of the Assembly according to this point.
Powers and competences of the National Assembly
1. The National Assembly has the power and competence to:
a) to approve and pass the DPA Statute and its amendment;
b) to approve the Party’s program and the main lines of its policy, which are the basis of work for the elected representatives of the DPA at the central and local level, as well as for the executive power led by it; to supervise over the activity and taking measures against the central bodies of the party.
c) to elect of the members of the National Council, as well as their dismissal with a motion of no confidence, as the case may be, by fifteen percent of the members of the National Assembly or the National Council, or on the proposal of the Presidency of the DPA;
ç) to dismiss and discharge the Chairman of the Party on the basis of a request supported by at least fifteen percent of the delegates of the Assembly, or a request or a motion (a vote) of no confidence proposed by at least twenty percent of all members of the National Council, or according to the proposal of a group of DPA deputies not less than the number needed to form a parliamentary group according to the Regulations of the Assembly of Albania. The Assembly, in case of dismissal of the president according to this provision, can decide to ratify the decision-making through a referendum in the entire membership of the DPA. The Assembly may decide to send the request or motion for dismissal directly to a vote in a referendum;
d) to elect the Honorary Chairpersons of the DPA, who are members with the right to vote in the central bodies of the DPA for life;
dh) to dissolute the Party or merge it with one or several other parties;
2. The right to make requests and proposals to the National Assembly, on matters that are within its competence, except in cases where this Statute determines otherwise, has the National Council, the Presidency of the DPA, a group of deputies of the DPA no more fewer than the number needed to form a parliamentary group according to the Rules and Regulations of the Assembly of Albania, or not less than fifteen percent of the members of the Assembly with the right to vote.
