Anti-government protests and violent clashes intensify in Tirana

Anti-government protests in Tirana, Albania, entered their 13th day on October 25, 2026, amid escalating violence. Thousands of citizens, including students, teachers, and opposition supporters, gathered to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. During the major unrest on October 24, protesters targeted government buildings, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Environment, and the Socialist Party offices, using Molotov cocktails and fireworks. Police deployed approximately 2,500 officers, responding with tear gas, water cannons, and plastic bullets to disperse the crowds.

Reports regarding casualties vary, with sources noting up to 13 injuries, including demonstrators, police officers, and journalists, while authorities confirmed hundreds of arrests since the unrest began. Prime Minister Rama has maintained a call for dialogue, symbolically placing chairs for discussion near his office, which demonstrators burned in defiance. As tensions peak, the government has announced a new legal package of punitive measures against violence and anarchy, asserting compliance with the constitution, while student groups continue to schedule further demonstrations at the Ministry of Education.