Dozens of police officers and protesters have been injured in the clashes since Tuesday, according to Al Jazeera reports. Students have complained for months about high education costs and limited employment prospects after graduation.
"What you are seeing is the boiling point of months of suppressed grievances," Albanian journalist Arlis Alikaj told Al Jazeera.
Afrim Krasniqi, a professor and researcher at the Institute for Political Studies in Tirana, said students and young people protested peacefully for nearly three months, "yet their demands were largely ignored, while the government often responded with discrediting campaigns rather than genuine dialogue." He added that the escalation reflects frustration with the lack of institutional accountability and responsiveness.
The protests represent one of the most serious waves of public discontent directed at Rama, who won a fourth term last May but has since faced anger over corruption allegations involving senior officials. The unrest was initially fuelled by plans to build a luxury resort along Albania's largely unspoilt southern coast.
The demonstrations in Albania coincide with a broader wave of student protests across Europe. In France, secondary school students have been blockading schools for weeks, demanding more teachers and better facilities, warning that deteriorating buildings and overcrowded classrooms undermine education quality.