Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has ignited a storm of outrage after using the term “autistic” as a slur during a public campaign speech. In what many have described as a moment of psychological unraveling, the Prime Minister stated:
“Choosing the swamp over the EU means you’re not well, politically you’re autistic.”
This statement, which equates autism with political dysfunction, has been condemned as deeply offensive, discriminatory, and dehumanizing. Autism is not an insult — it is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how individuals perceive the world and communicate. Advocates stress that using it pejoratively perpetuates stigma and marginalization.
In a country aspiring to align with European values of inclusion, dignity, and human rights, Rama’s rhetoric has crossed a red line. Public figures, opposition voices, and families of individuals with autism have responded with fury, demanding not just an apology but accountability.
The Prime Minister’s full quote included:
“For me, those who go to the swamp are half-men. Choosing between the EU and the swamp — if you choose the swamp, then you’re not well, politically you’re autistic.”
Critics argue that this is not a metaphor, but an attack on thousands of Albanian citizens and their families, as well as a dangerous precedent for ableist language in public discourse.
The scandal follows another controversial moment just a day earlier, when the Prime Minister encouraged children to “Google his nude photos.” Both incidents, back-to-back, have shocked the public and raised questions about the ethical and psychological state of the country’s leadership.
Using a medical condition as an insult is not rhetoric — it’s bullying from the highest office.