Regjimi

Regjimi is the Albanian noun for a government or ruling regime; it denotes the system through which political power is organized and exercised, including the institutions, laws, and practices that define governance. The term can refer to the overall framework of rule as well as to the specific administration that holds power at a given time.

In everyday use, regjimi can denote a legitimate democratic regime as well as an authoritarian or totalitarian one; the exact connotation depends on context and judgment. It is a descriptive term in political science and journalism, but it can carry evaluative overtones depending on the nature of the rule being described.

In Albanian history, the term is often associated with the communist regime that held power after World War II. Led by Enver Hoxha from 1944 until his death in 1985, and then by Ramiz Alia until the early 1990s, it was characterized by single-party rule, centralized planning, extensive state security, censorship, and restricted political freedoms. The regime collapsed in the early 1990s, leading to a transition to multiparty democracy and market economy.

Outside that context, the word is used to discuss other governing arrangements—transitional regimes, military regimes, or periods of rule by a particular party or leader—within Albania or among Albanian-speaking communities.

See also: political regime, regime change, Albanian politics.