Fox News: 'Ramaduro' wins 4th term despite corruption allegations, Europe pretends not to see

The well-known American media outlet, Fox News , has published an analysis by former diplomat Agim Nesho, who compares Prime Minister Edi Rama to Venezuela's autocratic leader, Nicolas Maduro.

Full opinion from Agim Nesho: 

While Europe claims to defend democracy, it silently empowers autocrats like Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Elected to a fourth term with a strong majority that could change the Constitution, Rama is known by critics as Europe's "Ramaduro" — a reference to Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro — for his alleged corruption, autocratic tendencies, and mastery of political deception.

A former disciple of George Soros and the 'Open Society', Rama has transformed into a political chameleon — shaping his image to suit the interests of global elites and regional rulers.

Subservient to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a collaborator with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and a supporter of French President Emmanuel Macron in exchange for greater influence in the Balkans, Rama secured a fourth consecutive term through elections that many describe as deeply rigged — unthinkable for a NATO member and EU-aspiring state.

Rama rose from an ‘Open Society’ representative in Tirana to leader of a country with one of the most brutal communist legacies in Europe. Critics describe him as a narcissist and anarchist, and he is seen as a product of Soros’s post-communist influence in Eastern Europe. He consolidated power in Albania by promoting the Soros-backed “Open Balkans” initiative. More recently, he has taken on a new role: as the progressive socialist who worked to undermine Trump-era initiatives in Europe.

Known for his anti-Trump rhetoric — including a famous statement on CNN and Foreign Policy, in which he called Trump “the shame of our civilization” — Rama became a favorite of European elites and American Democrats. His political survival depended on adapting to the anti-Trump order, even as his leadership at home was drifting toward authoritarianism.

Today, as Europe faces a multipolar world and complex geopolitical challenges, it increasingly tolerates — if not embraces — leaders like Rama. Why? Because he professes allegiance to "European values," even as he leads, according to critics, a narcotics state built on organized crime and electoral manipulation.

Rama represents a European version of the Chávez-Maduro model: a leftist autocrat cloaked in progressive language, wielding power with little regard for democratic norms. He embodies the stabilocracy that is destroying the Balkans — regimes tolerated for the sake of regional tranquility, even as they destroy the very values ​​that Europe claims to defend.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent attempt to block the renewal of Chevron’s contract in Maduro’s Venezuela is a courageous example of principled leadership — denying authoritarian regimes legitimacy and resources. America should show the same clarity towards the Balkans.

Many Albanians even now call their leader "Ramaduro" — a desperate signal for U.S. help in restoring democracy. America's position should be a wake-up call for Europe, which has grown accustomed to coexisting with mafia-style regimes based on corruption and oppression. Europe cannot justify supporting autocrats just because their critics are conservatives or connected to President Trump.

It is time for American diplomacy to take concrete steps. This means increasing pressure on the Albanian leadership, public support for free and fair elections, and a clear message: Compliance with Western values ​​is measured by actions, not empty statements.