Issue and Opponent: After the end of the Cold War, Ramiz Alia took control over Albania, which already had a history of repression, debt, poverty, and underdevelopment. Alia instituted political reforms in early 1991 and facilitated the first free and open elections in 60 years. The Democratic Party which opposed Alia triumphed in the capital and other cities, but the Communists who called themselves the Albanian Party of Labor (APL) gained the most support in rural areas. Workers and students were not happy with the election results and wanted economic reforms, so they participated in a series of strikes and demonstrations, leading to the deaths of four Democratic Party members. The Union of Independent Trade Unions submitted a list of seventeen demands to the government. However, when the government did not meet seven of the seventeen demands, the unions called for a strike.
Dilemma Action: Over 200,000 workers did not attend work, including public transportation employees. This had a significant effect because it was rare to own a car in Albania. The strike committee allowed essential service workers in water, electrical, medical, and food production industries to express their solidarity but continue to work to provide ample bread throughout the strike. Alia requested for them to halt their strike, but the UITU rejected this request.
Outcomes: Following the unrelenting strike, protestors, and moral pressure, on June 1st the National Assembly decided to disband and form a new “national salvation government.” However, Alia remained president until a new election in 1992. The Democrats defeated the APL in 1992.