Prime Minister Edi Rama and his Socialist Party (PS) have governed Albania since 2013. 
Now, however, a major corruption scandal poses a threat to the government.

Albania's Deputy PM Belinda Balluku is accused of favoring certain companies when awarding public contracts and misappropriating public funds. Balluku denies the allegations. 

At a rally on Tuesday organized by the opposition Democratic Party, thousands demanded Rama's resignation. 

Molotov cocktails were thrown; at least 16 police officers were injured and 13 people were arrested.

Albania has been an EU candidate country since 2014. Corruption is seen as one of the biggest obstacles on its path to EU integration. Albania ranked 91st out of 182 countries in Transparency International's 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index.