Troll of the Month: Socialist Party (PS) candidate Zegjine Çaushi in Albania
June 6, 2025
The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals, or a media outlet that spreads hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or other diversity categories. The Balkan Troll is selected based on hate speech incidents identified across the Western Balkan region.
During a Socialist Party (PS) campaign event in Fier, PS candidate Zegjine Çaushi publicly mocked her political opponent Gazment Bardhi, the Democratic Party (DP) candidate, using derogatory language implying effeminacy and same-sex attraction. Her comments, delivered in a mocking tone from the stage and captured in a video, included phrases such as “je i përdredhur shumë, je balerin që vetëm tundesh” (“you’re too twisted, a ballerina who just sways”) and sarcastically referred to him as “Gazi i Zegjinesë”, a feminised moniker implying submissiveness or ridicule.
This incident took place at a high-profile PS campaign rally attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama, who appeared to enjoy the remarks, laughing openly and signalling his approval of the mockery. Furthermore, video was shared widely online and broadcast by several national media outlets, reinforcing the normalisation of mocking rhetoric and raising concerns about discrimination and the ethics of political discourse.
This incident represents a clear case of homophobic insinuation and gender-based derogation during an electoral campaign. By mocking her opponent through feminising language and implying same-sex attraction, the candidate did not simply attack him personally—she reinforced harmful stereotypes about masculinity, sexual orientation, and who is seen as “fit” to lead. Such language stigmatises traits that deviate from traditional norms and sends a message that effeminacy or queerness are political liabilities.
This is not an isolated case, but part of a broader pattern of homophobic rhetoric and gender-based derogation that often surfaces during electoral campaigns. Throughout the electoral campaign, candidates have been seen to use derogatory and sensationalistic language to score political points or attract attention. In turn, neither the media nor the public respond in the appropriate manner. Media outlets choose to amplify thse moments without ediorial scrutiny, often presenting them as entertaining, hot topics or viral content. Media coverage overall lacks critical framing with headlines focusing on the spectacle and humour of the incident rather than on challenging the rhetoric and discourse at play. This omission is not neutral— it reinforces problematic narratives in society and normalises them.
Online audiences in turn, replicate and further escalate the discourse, which is reflected in the misogynistic, homophobic comments online.
Moreover, the laughter and encouragement seen from senior political figures including in this case, the Prime Minister himself is concerning. Rather than using his position to challenge and immediately condemn such harmful discourse, his lack of reaction and passivity reflect a deeper acceptance of this rhetoric.
The absence of accountability at every level not only exposes systemic failures but also paves the way for discriminatory language in political communication to become normalised and legitimised. All of this reflects a vicious cycle of hate—perpetuated, reinforced, and sustained. Quite the opposite, all actors involved should use their platforms to stop such narratives from being normalised in society and allowed to persist unchallenged.