Hoxha's successor Ramiz Alia was forced to introduce limited reforms in the late 1980s.

At an extraordinary congress on 10–13 June 1991, the PPSh voted to change its name to the PS in an effort to survive in the new system.

[15] On 10 October 2005, Nano resigned as the chairman of the PS after losing the 2005 Albanian parliamentary election, and was succeeded by Edi Rama.

[16] Under Rama's lead, the PS formed the Alliance for a European Albania, which united several political parties.

The alliance won the 2013 Albanian parliamentary election, thus returning the Socialists to the government after 8 years.