Anti-government demonstrations led by university and high school students entered their second week in Albania on Tuesday, with crowds swelling in the capital city of Tirana. Demonstrators showed no signs of backing down from their demands for sweeping political change in one of Europe’s poorest nations.
The protest movement gained further momentum as university lecturers and other public figures joined the crowds in Tirana to support students calling for Prime Minister Edi Rama to step down. More than 1,000 academics have signed a petition demanding the prime minister’s resignation and the formation of a technocratic caretaker government.
Tensions outside government offices remained high on Tuesday. In a symbolic gesture, Prime Minister Rama arranged red chairs outside his office, each marked with a paper reading “Dialog,” in an attempt to open talks with the student demonstrators. Upon arrival, protesters rejected the overture by tearing up the papers and reiterating their refusal to negotiate until Rama resigns.
The unrest stems from months of peaceful demonstrations that participants say went ignored by leadership. The movement initially formed in opposition to a planned luxury coastal resort linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. Over time, the scope expanded into a broader public outcry against corruption, fueled by ongoing investigations targeting several of Rama’s closest political allies.
University and high school students entered the rallies last week, injecting fresh energy into a movement driven by younger generations seeking better educational standards and greater economic opportunities. The capital has subsequently experienced its worst street violence in a decade. Hundreds of people have sustained injuries, and property damage has affected government buildings, banks, and commercial businesses.
In response to the unrest, police have deployed tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, while judicial authorities have initiated criminal proceedings against hundreds of demonstrators. Banners carried by protesters in Tirana have explicitly demanded an end to police tactics, reading slogans such as “Stop violence against students.”
Prime Minister Rama, who secured a fourth term in office last year, has firmly refused to step down. He has accused opposition political factions and foreign actors of exploiting the demonstrations to destabilize Albania, maintaining that his constitutional mandate to govern through 2029 cannot be overturned through street violence.
