Clashes erupted on Saturday evening in Albania's capital between police and opposition protesters that accuse Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama of corruption and demand that he quits, an AFP journalist reported.
The protest led by opposition leader and former prime minister Sali Berisha drew thousands of people to a rally in front of Tirana's main government building.
Berisha, leader of the right-wing Democratic Party, called on the crowd to "unite to overthrow this government and to put in place a technical government to prepare early, free and fair elections".
After the speeches, some protesters hurled Molotov cocktails on police who responded with teargas and water cannons to disperse the crowd.
Clashes erupted when groups of protesters marched towards the parliament where they tried to break through police cordons, hurling stones and Molotov cocktails.
Police again responded with teargas and water cannons.
At least 10 officers sustained minor injuries, a police statement said.
According to Berisha 25 protesters were arrested.
"This is the last kilometre toward the end of Edi Rama's regime," he told supporters outside his party headquarters after the rally, pledging to continue the fight.
Albanian politics is marked by sharp verbal attacks, with both right and left-wing parties exchanging insults and accusations of corruption and links to organised crime.
Berisha himself is suspected of awarding public contracts to his associates, which he strongly denies.
In November a corruption court suspended the deputy prime minister and close Rama ally over her alleged role in a public procurement graft case.
Belinda Balluku, also infrastructure and energy minister, has denied the allegations while Rama labelled her suspension a "brutal act of interference in the independence of the executive".
Addressed by the government, the Constitutional Court in December temporarily reinstated Balluku to her position pending its final ruling.
A parliamentary committee is due to review on Wednesday a demand by the corruption and organised crime prosecutors to lift her immunity that would enable her arrest.
Organised crime and corruption are the main issues holding Albania back from joining the European Union.
Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj was arrested in February last year on suspicion of corruption and money laundering.
Two other former ministers who served under Rama have been accused of embezzlement and abuse of power.
Former prime minister and president Ilir Meta was arrested in October 2024, also on accusations of corruption and money laundering.