Tirana streets erupt as students and citizens demand Edi Rama's resignation

A wave of demonstrations entered its fifth consecutive day, spreading from Tirana to four additional Albanian cities, as crowds of students, university attendees, schoolchildren and adults converged on the capital’s central squares. Protesters focused their chants on the resignation of Prime Minister Έντι Ράμα, who has repeatedly refused to leave office, insisting that any change must come through elections. The protests intensified outside the prime minister’s office and the Ministry of Education, where extensive property damage was recorded.

Police units, reinforced with water-cannon vehicles and tear-gas, employed plastic pellets to disperse the crowds, while demonstrators hurled stones in response. The unrest reflects broader dissatisfaction fueled by recent corruption revelations and demands for modernising the education system. Internal pressure is mounting on the Socialist Party, with a party MP and former foreign minister urging Rama to assume political responsibility and engage in dialogue with the protesters.