Capital Tirana Government Provisional Government 1944–1946 Enver Hoxha Founded 1944 | Languages Albanian 1944–1946 Omer Nishani Legislature Constituent Assembly | |
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The Democratic Government of Albania (Albanian: Qeveria Demokratike e Shqipërisë) was established on 20 October 1944 by the National Liberation Movement, as the Albanian partisan resistance of 1940–1944 came to a close. A Provisional government took power after the liberation of the country from German forces on 28 November. Its interim Prime Minister was Secretary-General Enver Hoxha of the Communist Party of Albania. The interim government was to be in existence until the holding of democratic elections and the convening of a Constituent Assembly.
The government was led by the National Liberation Movement, which in turn was dominated by the Communist Party. From the outset, the Democratic Government was an out-and-out Communist dictatorship. It sidelined the nationalist Balli Kombëtar, a task made somewhat easier by its collaboration with the Nazis. King Zog I was dethroned, and the LNC quickly established fraternal relationships with other socialist countries.
Elections were held on 2 December 1945. By this time, the LNC had transformed itself into the Democratic Front of Albania, which was the only organization to contest the election. On 10 January 1946 the People's Republic of Albania was proclaimed.