How Trump is reinvigorating democracy

What the report says

In a commentary for The Independent Uganda, Jan-Werner Mueller argues that Donald Trump’s return to the White House is having an unexpected political effect abroad, including by energizing anti-corruption protests in Albania. The piece is set in Tirana, where demonstrators have been gathering near Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office to demand his resignation and denounce corruption. Mueller says the protests, which the article says began in the spring, have been linked by critics to a disputed tourism and resort plan involving Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, and Ivanka Trump.

The commentary describes what it calls the “Flamingo Revolution,” named after concerns about plans affecting a nature reserve for flamingos on Albania’s coast. According to the article, local opposition has broadened after clashes with private security were caught on camera, and the demonstrations have spread from the south to the capital. Protesters are depicted as using Albanian flags as well as U.S. symbols to signal that their message is aimed at corruption and lack of transparency rather than anti-American sentiment.

Mueller places the Albanian unrest in a wider discussion of Trump-era politics and global perceptions of corruption. He argues that Trump’s brand, and the administration’s weakening of anti-corruption enforcement, has made it easier for critics of incumbent leaders to frame deals with Trump-linked figures as evidence of wrongdoing. The article says EU lawmakers have also warned that projects ignoring European rules could complicate Albania’s accession ambitions. The overall point is that Trump’s influence may be sharpening, rather than dulling, demands for accountability in some countries.