Rexhep Meidani’s academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Tirana in 1966, followed by a Diplôme en Etudes Approfondies in Solid State Physics from the University of Caen, France in 1974. He then earned a PhD in Solid State Physics from the University of Paris XI in 1976, and later a PhD in Condensed Matter Physics from the University of Tirana in 1984.
He later became a Professor at the University of Tirana until 1996. He also taught at the University of Pristina in Kosovo from 1977 to 1980 and held visiting positions at universities in Italy, Germany, and England.
Transitioning into politics during the 1990s, Meidani chaired Albania’s Central Election Commission during its inaugural multiparty elections in 1991 and concurrently joined the Presidential Council. He contributed significantly to civil society as Chairman of the Board of the Albanian Center for Human Rights from 1994 to 1996. In 1996, he joined the Socialist Party and served as its Secretary General until 1997.
Elected President of Albania in 1997, Meidani played a pivotal role in fortifying the country’s emerging democratic institutions and promoting economic resurgence. He advocated for the adoption and execution of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, aiming to foster peace, democracy, and economic development in the Balkans. Since 2003, he has been a member of the Socialist Party’s Steering Committee and co-led the International Observer Delegation during the Palestinian Legislative Council Elections in 2006.
