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4h ago

Albanian Protests Enter Sixth Day as PM Refuses to Resign

The clashes could undermine Albania’s bid to join the European Union by highlighting rule‑of‑law and public‑order concerns.

Riot police officers take cover as protesters throw molotov cocktail during an anti-government demonstration in central Tirana on October 18, 2026, as protests continued for a sixth consecutive day over university conditions and demands for the resignation of Albania's Prime Minister. Albanian police fired water cannon and tear gas on October 18, 2026, as violent anti-government protests entered a sixth day and Prime Minister rejected demonstrators demands that he resign.
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Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 25, 2026. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs

Overview

  • The unrest, which entered its sixth day on Sunday, October 18, has centred on student demands over university conditions, tuition and jobs and expanded into broader anti‑government protests calling for Prime Minister Edi Rama to quit.
  • Riot police used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse crowds as demonstrators threw rocks, Molotov cocktails and fireworks, and authorities reported hundreds of injuries with a health ministry tally of 272 people hurt since the unrest began.
  • Police said 388 people have been charged with criminal offences during the demonstrations and security forces reported attacks on a police station and other public buildings.
  • Edi Rama rejected calls to resign in a live address, blamed an unspecified foreign hand for parts of the violence and cancelled a planned visit to Austria while inviting students to dialogue.
  • The United States embassy and the European Commission urged restraint and proportional policing and warned that sustained instability could damage Albania’s EU accession prospects and its international reputation.