TIRANA, Albania — Albania’s president has canceled coming municipal elections, citing the need to reduce political tensions in the country.

President Ilir Meta said on Saturday that he had acted because the circumstances did not provide “the necessary conditions for true, democratic, representative and all-inclusive elections,” which had been scheduled for the end of this month. Mr. Meta added that he had canceled the polls since the crisis “undermined every chance to start accession talks with the European Union.”

The president said he would clarify his decision on Monday.

Thousands of Albanians who support the political opposition took to the streets for an antigovernment protest on Saturday, calling on Prime Minister Edi Rama, whom they accuse of corruption and of manipulating elections in 2017, to quit. Mr. Rama, leader of the Socialist Party of Albania, is backed by both the United States and the European Union and has so far held on to power.

Some protesters hurled flares, firecrackers and Molotov cocktails at police officers outside the Parliament building. The police responded with tear gas and water cannons.