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Albania has been a secular state since its founding in 1912, despite various changes in political systems. During the 20th century after Independence (1912) the democratic, monarchic and later the totalitarian communist regimes followed a systematic secularisation of the nation and the national culture. Albanians have historically been a particular case and a unique symbol of religious harmony and tolerance in the Balkans. Muslims, Catholic and Orthdox Christians have always lived in harmony and coexisted without divisive religious confrontations.[1]
The understanding of secularism in the Republic of Albania has strong influences from the French laïcité.[2] Currently Albania is a secular parliamentary republic, in which the state guarantees freedom of belief. The constitution recognizes the equality of religious communities and the state is neutral in the questions of faith.[3]
- ^ Karci, Bayram (2016). "Religious Pluralism - A Historical and Philosophical Analysis of Diversity in Albania". In Ednan Aslan; Ranja Ebrahim; Marcia Hermansen (eds.). Islam, Religions, and Pluralism in Europe. Springer. pp. 231–242. ISBN 978-3-658-12962-0. p.236.
- ^ "Aleksandër Xhuvani: Laiciteti dhe shekullarizimi i shkollave dhe morali laik – Tirana Observer". www.tiranaobserver.al. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
- ^ "Constitution of Albania, Article 10: State and Religion". berkleycenter.georgetown.edu. Retrieved 2017-07-30.