Enver Hoxha
Enver Hoxha was the effective head of state in the People's Socialist Republic of Albania.
Contents
History
The Communist Party of Albania (PKSh) (Partia Komuniste e Shqipërisë) was founded as a Comintern-backed resistance cell against the Italian occupation. Hoxha was selected as a Muslim representative and quickly rose through the organization, ultimately being elected to first secretary in 1943.
There were immediate diplomatic strains between Hoxha and the Yugoslav Partisan agents, over possession of Kosovo.
Upon liberation, the National Liberation Movement became the Democratic Front and its leaders became a provisional national government. Hoxha was named interim prime minister. Only Front parties were allowed to contest the December 1945 elections, so he remained the de facto head of state.
Shortly after the elections, Zog was formally deposed and the country renamed itself to the People's Socialist Republic of Albania.
Hoxha further distanced the Albanian communists from Tito, after Stalin shared intelligence that an annexation of Albania was planned. PKSh was renamed to the Party of Labor.
During the Khrushchev era of reforms, Hoxha began withdrawing from the Warsaw Pact. Then in response to the invasion of Czechslovakia, he officially exited the Warsaw Pact. He instead pursued trade and diplomacy with China, currently in the middle of the Cultural Revolution. This too began to be reversed in 1972, following Nixon's diplomatic visit to Beijing. Diplomatic relations with China were officially severed in 1978.
Hoxha's health began failing in the 1970s, and many state functions were delegated to Ramiz Alia. He died in 1985, and technically still in office.