Pragmatic aspect of Albanian political populism in the formation of the foreign policy agenda

The study aims to address the question of the ability to implement democratic principles on a legal basis on the example of the Albanian political space. In a historical retrospective, the author analysed the formation and characteristics of Albania's political institutions, including the challenges of the transition period since 1997. The value orientations of the political space of a functioning democracy at the institutional level are defined. The study noted that Albanian political reality and behaviour are characterised by the prevalence of antagonistic principles, which can lead to the totalisation of society. At the same time, Albania's political space is characterised by the phenomenon of political absenteeism, which allows for the correlation of mass public opinion following the political interests of the ruling elite. The author traced the negative impact of political populism, which is curtailing basic democratic principles. This study is of practical importance, as it can be used during scientific seminars, narrowly focused or multidisciplinary conferences, and in discussions among academics and researchers.