After Orban and Vučić, who is next?

The loss of Viktor Orban in Hungary, the defeat of Aleksandar Vučić's camp in Serbia, and reports of a possible resignation of Giorgia Meloni in Italy have brought back into focus the stability of the powers that have dominated for years in the region and beyond. 

In this panorama, Albania also receives a special focus, as the government led by Edi Rama has been facing protests for 4 months and most recently the student revolt for his removal.

But is this a wave of political change, or are we talking about different developments that cannot be placed in the same line?

The year 2026 has so far brought developments that have shaken the foundations of some of Europe's most popular leaders. In Hungary, Viktor Orban lost elections after 16 years at the helm of government, while in Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić's camp suffered defeat against a list supported by the student movement.

Also, in Italy, the media have reported on a possible scenario of Giorgia Meloni's resignation and early elections in 2027.  

Orban and Vučić, two blows to the consolidated powers
. In Hungary, Orban's defeat marked the end of a 16-year period of his rule, and the Fidesz party was defeated by Tisza and Péter Magyar, who managed to channel dissatisfaction with the government and create a winning alternative in the elections.  

In Serbia, the challenge came from another direction, the student movement, strengthened by protests against corruption and demands for accountability after the tragedy in Novi Sad, turned into a political factor with electoral weight.

 The list she supported managed to defeat Vučić's camp in the parliamentary elections, showing that civic discontent can transcend the boundaries of protest and turn into a political alternative. 

In both cases, developments show that consolidated governments can face serious challenges when a significant portion of citizens demand change, but the results do not automatically guarantee the resolution of the problems that have fueled this dissatisfaction. The challenge for new political forces is to prove that they can turn promises of change into concrete governance and reforms.

Meloni, amid reports of resignation and early elections
In Italy, attention has focused on Giorgia Meloni, one of Edi Rama's close political allies in Europe.

According to a report by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, also covered by Politiko.al, Meloni could leave office in March 2027, after the European Council summit expected to take place in Rome.

Under this scenario, the resignation could pave the way for early parliamentary elections, which could be held in May or June of next year. 

For Rama, developments in Italy also have a political dimension, as his close relationship with Meloni makes it difficult for any move in Rome not to be closely followed in Tirana. But the closeness between the two prime ministers does not mean that the political fate of one will determine that of the other.

In Albania, the debate about the sustainability of power is taking place in a different context, as student protests in Tirana began with demands for improved educational conditions, financial support, and the prospects of young people, but were also accompanied by clashes with the police and demands for the removal of the prime minister.

In this situation, developments in Hungary, Serbia and Italy can serve as a point of comparison, however, a common lesson emerges from these developments that power is not eternal and no majority can rely indefinitely on control of political structures alone. Civic discontent, when it takes on broad proportions and finds a way to organize, can change political relations.

After Orban and Vučić, Meloni is the next name to appear in the debates about the future of European power, but not as a leader who has already lost his job. Meanwhile, for Albania, it remains to be seen whether developments in the region will remain isolated stories, or will serve as a warning that no power can consider itself permanent./ Politiko.al