Politics

Aug 17, 2026 Jan-Werner Mueller

After a year of commentators lamenting the extent to which Donald Trump had emboldened the world’s autocrats, the political tables may have begun to turn. Not only is Trump deeply unpopular globally, but any government that gets into bed with him is effectively offering proof of its own corruption.

TIRANA—Here in the Albanian capital, the hotel receptionists go out of their way to stress that the ongoing protests outside are entirely peaceful. Apparently, there have been quite a few room cancellations since mass demonstrations began in the spring. But ask them directly, and they might furtively hint that they welcome tourists taking part. Every night, people of all ages gather in front of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office to complain about corruption and demand his resignation.