Anti-government protesters battle with police in Albania

Key Points:

• Demonstrations in Tirana have entered their fifth consecutive day, with clashes between masked protesters—many students—and riot police using tear gas, water cannons, and reportedly rubber bullets, centered around the education ministry and later the Prime Minister's office.
• The protests, which began in June, have expanded into a broader anti-government movement demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation amid corruption allegations tied to his administration, with hundreds arrested and numerous injuries reported.
• Protesters claim peaceful efforts lasted over four months before resorting to violence, citing government unwillingness to negotiate; some allege provocateurs are attempting to discredit the movement by damaging property.
• Prime Minister Rama, in power for 13 years and supported by the EU for Albania's EU membership aspirations, accuses opposition forces and unnamed foreign actors of fomenting unrest, while ongoing investigations by a special prosecution service threaten his rule.
• The Socialist Party holds a parliamentary majority until 2029, but the political crisis deepens as calls grow for a neutral caretaker government to organize new elections amid widespread dissatisfaction with the entrenched political class.