The Impact of Student Protests in Albania and Political Outcomes: A Critical Approach

This study examines the political impact of the December 2018–2019 student protests in Albania through a critical theoretical lens. Focusing on Habermasian communicative action, Gramscian hegemony, Resource Mobilization, and Political Process theories, it analyzes how the protests challenged state legitimacy, influenced government agendas, and reshaped democratic discourse. Using a qualitative case-study approach – combining content and discourse analysis of protest materials and official statements, interviews with participants and officials, and secondary sources – the research evaluates whether student mobilization translated into sustained reforms. The findings indicate that the protests succeeded in shifting policy priorities and energizing civic engagement but produced only limited lasting institutional change. The government’s partial concessions (such as fee reductions and ministerial reshuffles) reveal how protest pressure can alter agendas, yet co-optation and enduring clientelism dampened reforms. This underscores that in Albania’s semi-consolidated democracy, grassroots activism stimulates democratic consciousness but faces systemic barriers to effecting deep structural change. Received: 2 May 2025 / Accepted: 24 June 2025 / Published: 05 July 2025