politikë

Politikë is the Albanian term for politics, referring to the activities, processes, and ideas by which public decisions are made and public life is organized. It covers the distribution and exercise of power, the making and enforcement of laws, and the management of public affairs at local, national, and international levels. The concept includes both descriptive aspects—how political actors, institutions, and interests interact—and normative aspects—how power should be used to achieve social goals.

Key components of politikë include political institutions such as the executive, legislature, and judiciary; electoral systems and voting; political parties and interest groups; public administration, media, and civil society. Public policy, budgeting, diplomacy, and international relations are also central. Political ideologies—conservatism, liberalism, socialism, nationalism, and others—shape preferences and policy choices within politikë.

There are domestic and international dimensions: domestic politika concerns governance, elections, and public policy within a country; international politika (or foreign policy) relates to a state's relations with other states, organizations, and global issues. The study of politikë, political science, analyzes institutions, behavior, and outcomes to explain how societies organize power and allocate resources, while supporting informed civic participation and accountability.

In Albanian-speaking contexts, politikë denotes both the practice of governing and the scholarly study of governance and public life.