Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama Refuses to Resign Amid Protests

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that he will not step down, asserting that his mandate derives from the 800,000 voters who elected his Socialist Party, not from the demands of demonstrators. He reiterated his respect for the right to protest but said calls for his resignation cannot overturn the electoral legitimacy he received.

The protests in Tirana, known as the “Flamingo Revolution,” began over a planned luxury tourist complex on a protected coastal area and have expanded into a broader anti‑government movement demanding Rama’s resignation, constitutional reforms and stronger anti‑corruption measures. Rama defended the project as an investment that will boost tourism and the economy and promised it will meet European environmental standards.

Election results from May 2025 show the Socialist Party securing 53.27% of the vote and 83 of 140 parliamentary seats, giving the government a stable majority since 2013. Despite the ongoing demonstrations, Rama confirmed his intention to remain in office.