Sali Berisha

Sali Berisha
Berisha in 2009
President of Albania
In office 9 April 1992 – 24 July 1997
Prime Minister	Vilson Ahmeti Aleksandër Meksi Bashkim Fino
Preceded by	Ramiz Alia
Succeeded by	Rexhep Meidani
32nd Prime Minister of Albania
In office 8 September 2005 – 11 September 2013
President	Alfred Moisiu Bamir Topi Bujar Nishani
Deputy	Ilir Rusmali Gazmend Oketa Genc Pollo Ilir Meta Edmond Haxhinasto Myqerem Tafaj
Preceded by	Fatos Nano
Succeeded by	Edi Rama
Leader of the Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 May 2022
Preceded by	Lulzim Basha
In office July 1997 – June 2013
Preceded by	Tritan Shehu
Succeeded by	Lulzim Basha
In office 1990–1992
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Eduard Selami
Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 May 2022
Preceded by	Lulzim Basha
In office 1997–2005
Preceded by	Fatos Nano
Succeeded by	Edi Rama
In office 1991–1992
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Fatos Nano
Personal details
Born	(1944-10-15) 15 October 1944 (age 79) Tropojë, Albania
Political party	Party of Labour (1968–1990) Democratic Party (1990–present)
Spouse	Liri Ramaj ​ (m. 1971)​
Children	2
Education	University of Tirana (MD)
Signature
Website	sali-berisha.com

Sali Ram Berisha (Albanian: [saˈli bɛˈɾiʃa] ^ⓘ; born 15 October 1944) is an Albanian cardiologist and conservative politician who served as the president of Albania from 1992 to 1997 and 32nd prime minister from 2005 to 2013. Berisha serves as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania since 2022 and has held the position previously from 1990 to 2013. He also serves as the incumbent Leader of Opposition in the Albanian parliament.

He has been banned from entering the United States and the United Kingdom after being accused of "involvement in significant corruption" and links to organised crime groups and criminals that pose a "risk to public safety in Albania".

On 9 September 2021, Berisha was expelled by party chairman Lulzim Basha from the Democratic Party's Parliamentary Group due to legal issues with the US Department of State.^[1] This decision led to put 79-year-old Berisha starting a nation-wide movement to remove Basha as leader of the Democratic Party, causing a major rift in the party's internal structures, between Berisha's and Basha's supporters.

On 30 December 2023, Berisha was placed under house arrest for allegations regarding corruption in his previous governments.^[2]