‘Boiling point’: Why students are protesting against Albania’s Edi Rama
Experts say Albania’s protests reflect ignored student grievances and growing frustration.
Key points
- Student protests against Albania's education system have continued for a third day in Tirana, with demonstrators calling on Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.
- Dozens of police officers and protesters have been injured as authorities used water cannon and tear gas to disperse crowds.
- Rama told Reuters that governments change through democratic elections, not revolution, rejecting calls for his resignation.
Student protests over poor conditions in Albania's education system have entered a third day in the capital, Tirana, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. Since Tuesday, protesters have set fire to several buildings in the city, including the prime minister's office, ministry buildings and branches of several banks.
Dozens of police officers and protesters have been injured as authorities tried to disperse crowds with water cannon and tear gas. Students have complained for months about the high cost of education and limited employment prospects after graduation.
What observers say
Albanian journalist Arlis Alikaj told Al Jazeera that the unrest reflects "the boiling point of months of suppressed grievances." Afrim Krasniqi, a professor and researcher at the Institute for Political Studies in Tirana, said students and young people protested peacefully for nearly three months, but their demands were largely ignored and the government often responded with discrediting campaigns rather than genuine dialogue.
Krasniqi added that the current escalation reflects frustration not only with the government but also with the lack of institutional accountability and responsiveness. Sokol Lleshi, a lecturer at the University of New York Tirana, said social change is more likely to come from a broader coalition of social groups than from mobilisation limited to students.
As for calls for my resignation, governments change through democratic elections. Last year, we had elections, not a revolution.
— Edi Rama
