Police in Albania's capital, Tirana, fired tear gas and used water cannons on November 26 to disperse hundreds of opposition protesters who blocked major roads, accusing the government of corruption and demanding its replacement with a technocratic caretaker authority.

The protests are part of a broader campaign of civil disobedience against Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama, who has been in power since 2013 and plans to seek a fourth term in next year’s parliamentary elections, scheduled for May 11, 2025.

Led by lawmakers from the Democratic Party and the Freedom Party, protesters chanted “[Prime Minister Edi] Rama go away” and sat in streets, obstructing traffic at key intersections. 

Around 1,000 police officers were deployed to the protest, which started at 5pm local time. Clashes broke out sporadically as anti-riot police attempted to clear the demonstrators. Officers were deployed to protect government buildings, with tear gas used at least once to regain control of Wilson Square.

“The protests will continue; this is a battle until this regime goes,” Tedi Blushi of the Freedom Party told local media.

Opposition leaders have accused Rama’s government of corruption, electoral manipulation, and undermining judicial independence. 

However, opposition parties have been plagued by infighting and allegations of misconduct.

Both Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha and Freedom Party leader Ilir Meta face corruption charges. Berisha, a former prime minister, is under house arrest in connection with a privatisation deal and is blacklisted by the United States and United Kingdom. Meta, like Berisha a former Albanian president, was arrested in October for alleged corruption. Both men deny the charges and accuse Rama of orchestrating them for political gain.

Rama has dismissed the allegations, accusing the opposition of resorting to violence in an attempt to seize power. 

With next year’s election looming, tensions between the ruling Socialists and opposition parties are rising. Opposition figures have increasingly turned to mass and parliamentary disruption, including setting fires and deploying flares inside the legislative chamber.

The opposition’s demands include electoral reform, improved economic policies, and provisions for diaspora voting, which they argue are necessary for fair elections. However, efforts to negotiate with the government have largely stalled.