9th Legislature of Albania

The 9th Legislature of Albania was the ninth legislative term of the Albanian state and operated from 3 April 1940 until 4 August 1943, during the period when Albania existed as a protectorate in personal union with the Kingdom of Italy. Its formal Albanian designation was the Supreme Fascist Corporative Council, or Këshilli i Epërm Korporativ Fashist. Unlike a competitive elected parliament, it was an appointed corporative chamber connected to the Albanian Fascist Party and to institutions representing the corporative economy. Its authority was therefore nominal and closely subordinate to the occupation regime, the Italian lieutenant-governor, and the political structures created after the Italian invasion. The legislature emerged from the Italian occupation of Albania. On 7 April 1939, Italian forces invaded the country after King Zog I rejected an Italian demand that Albania accept a protectorate arrangement. Zog was deposed, and the Italian government reorganized Albania as a protectorate of the Kingdom of Italy under the nominal sovereignty of King Victor Emmanuel III. An Italian lieutenant-governor represented the king in Albania. The Albanian Fascist Party was established on 2 June 1939 as an affiliate of Italy's National Fascist Party, and it became a central mechanism for organizing the new political order. The Supreme Fascist Corporative Council was constituted by a decree of the lieutenant of the king dated 8 April 1940. It was inaugurated in Tirana on 17 April 1940 in the former parliament building, with Terenc Toçi as its presiding officer. Its membership was drawn from the central organs of the Albanian Fascist Party, the party's directorate, the corporative economic structure, and other appointed members. The composition included Albanian collaborators as well as Italian officials, reflecting the legislature's role as an instrument of the occupation administration rather than an independent representative institution. The body was reconstituted by a further decree dated 18 April 1942 and convened with its revised composition on 11 May 1942. Federal secretaries appointed under a decree of 28 May 1942 included Selahudin Toto, Ejëll Serreqi, Spiro Pilo Papa, Qazim Bllaca, and Agathokli Xhitomi. The leadership of the Albanian Fascist Party was institutionally connected to the government: by rule, the party leader held a seat on the Council of Ministers. Tefik Mborja, the party's first secretary, was associated with this arrangement, which continued under later governments until the collapse of Italian authority in September 1943. The legislature ceased functioning after the Italian armistice with the Allies on 8 September 1943. The armistice caused the collapse of Italian control in Albania and the disintegration of the Albanian Fascist Party. The Council's last meeting took place in the summer of 1943, before German forces assumed control and installed a more autonomous Albanian administration. The legislative framework was subsequently replaced by a National Assembly. The 9th Legislature is therefore best understood as an occupation-era state institution: it carried a legislative title and performed formal parliamentary functions, but its membership, political mandate, and operating environment were determined by the Fascist occupation system.

The 9th Legislature of Albania developed out of the political transformation imposed by Italy after the invasion of Albania in April 1939. King Zog I rejected an Italian ultimatum seeking acceptance of a protectorate, after which Italian troops landed on 7 April. Zog was removed, and Albania was reorganized as a protectorate in personal union with the Kingdom of Italy. King Victor Emmanuel III became Albania's nominal monarch, while an Italian lieutenant-governor exercised authority on his behalf. The occupation regime did not restore a normal elected parliamentary system. Instead, it built political institutions modeled on Italian Fascism. The Albanian Fascist Party was founded on 2 June 1939 as an affiliate of the Italian National Fascist Party. In March 1940, the party received an organized directorate and central council, providing the political infrastructure from which the new legislative body was assembled. The Supreme Fascist Corporative Council was established by a decree of the lieutenant of the king on 8 April 1940. It was designed as an appointed corporative chamber rather than a legislature chosen through competitive elections. Its members came from the central party council, the party directorate, the corporative economy, and other designated groups. The arrangement brought together Albanian collaborators and Italian officials and gave the occupation government a formal Albanian institution through which legislation could be presented and administrative authority symbolically exercised. The Council was inaugurated in Tirana on 17 April 1940 in the former parliament hall. Terenc Toçi presided over the chamber. Its relationship with the Fascist Party was especially close: the leader of the Albanian Fascist Party was, by rule, also a member of the Council of Ministers. This arrangement began with Tefik Mborja, the party's first secretary, and continued in later governments until the collapse of Italian control in September 1943. The Council's membership and organization changed during its existence. A decree of 18 April 1942 reconstituted the body, and the revised Council held its first meeting on 11 May 1942. Five named federal secretaries—Selahudin Toto, Ejëll Serreqi, Spiro Pilo Papa, Qazim Bllaca, and Agathokli Xhitomi—were appointed under a decree of 28 May 1942. The Council normally operated with two secretaries at a time, even though the available historical account identifies the officials appointed to those roles during the reorganization. The institution's effective life ended with the changing military and political situation of 1943. Following Italy's armistice with the Allies on 8 September, Italian authority in Albania collapsed and the Albanian Fascist Party disintegrated. The Council had last met in the summer of that year and did not continue as the governing legislative body. German occupation forces subsequently installed a more autonomous Albanian administration, which replaced the existing arrangement with a National Assembly. The 9th Legislature thus belongs to the short period of Fascist Italian occupation and represents a nominal, appointed form of legislative government rather than an independent democratic parliament.

• 1943

  The legislature is dissolved in practice

  [1]9th Legislature of Albaniaen.wikipedia.org

  After the Italian armistice and the collapse of Italian authority in September, the Council ceased functioning and was eventually replaced by a National Assembly.

• 1942

  The Council is reconstituted

  [1]9th Legislature of Albaniaen.wikipedia.org

  A decree of 18 April revised the Council's membership, and the reconstituted body convened on 11 May.

• 1940

  The Council is created by decree

  [1]9th Legislature of Albaniaen.wikipedia.org

  The lieutenant of King Victor Emmanuel III constituted the Supreme Fascist Corporative Council through a decree dated 8 April.

• 1940

  The legislature begins operating

  [1]9th Legislature of Albaniaen.wikipedia.org

  The Council was inaugurated in Tirana on 17 April in the former parliament hall, with Terenc Toçi as president.

• 1939

  Italy invades Albania

  [1]9th Legislature of Albaniaen.wikipedia.org

  Italian forces invaded Albania on 7 April after King Zog I rejected an Italian demand for a protectorate, leading to the establishment of an Italian-backed political order.

• 1939

  The Albanian Fascist Party is founded

  [1]9th Legislature of Albaniaen.wikipedia.org

  The Albanian Fascist Party was established on 2 June as an affiliate of Italy's National Fascist Party.

An appointed corporative legislative body serving the political and administrative framework of Fascist Italy's protectorate in Albania.

• 1942

  Reconstitution of the CouncilOther

  Background

  The occupation administration revised the structure and membership of the corporative legislature during the continuing Italian control of Albania.

  Action taken

  A decree dated 18 April 1942 appointed a revised Council, which convened on 11 May.

  Aftermath

  The reconstituted institution continued until the collapse of Italian authority in September 1943.

  Source

• 1940

  Creation of an appointed corporative legislatureStrategy

  Background

  The Italian-backed protectorate required a formal Albanian legislative institution, but the Fascist political order did not restore an elected parliament.

  Action taken

  The lieutenant of King Victor Emmanuel III established the Supreme Fascist Corporative Council by decree and populated it through party, corporative, and appointed representatives.

  Aftermath

  The Council provided nominal legislative authority for the occupation regime until Italian control collapsed in 1943.

  Source

1. 19th Legislature of Albaniaen.wikipedia.org