2017 Albanian opposition protest

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2017 Albanian opposition protests
The Tent of Freedom, where the opposition held daily meetings with the supporters during the protest
Date	18 February 2017 – 18 May 2017 (3 months)
Location	Albania
Caused by	Corruption Reported elections fraud Illegal drugs trade
Goals	Removal of Prime Minister Edi Rama Fighting illegal drugs trade and the involvement of government officials. Free elections
Methods	Demonstrations, civil disobedience, civil resistance, election boycott
Resulted in	Postponement of elections Opposition received Deputy Prime Minister and six ministerial positions
Parties
Albanian Opposition Democratic Party of Albania Republican Party of Albania Unity for Human Rights Party Red and Black Alliance Government of Albania Socialist Party of Albania Socialist Movement for Integration
Lead figures
Lulzim Basha, Leader of the Opposition Edi Rama, Prime Minister Ilir Meta, Speaker of the Parliament

The 2017 Albanian opposition protests were a series of anti-government protests, largely in Tirana, which centered around poverty, corruption, the illicit drug situation in Albania,^[1] fear of electoral fraud in the parliamentary elections, and alleged manipulation of the voting process by the government.^[2][3]

On 18 February 2017, thousands of government opposition protesters gathered on the main boulevard in Tirana to demand free elections and a technocratic government.^[4] Protesters subsequently erected a tent, The Tent of Freedom, in which the opposition held daily meetings with supporters. The opposition announced that it would boycott the parliament until the government accepted dialogue on forming a technocratic government.