Essays
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Ennahda – the new Muslim DemocratsA blessing for Tunisian democracy?
Widely regarded as Tunisia′s equivalent of the Muslim Brotherhood back in 2011, Ennahda has moved a long way from its Islamist roots. Hans Dembowski assesses the latest developments
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Sisi and the European UnionThe long arm of the dictator
From the very outset, Egypt's President Sisi has pursued policies of exclusion and polarisation. It is time for the EU to hold him to account and ensure that any aid granted is made contingent upon political inclusion and better governance, say Stephan Roll and Lars Brozus
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The Reform Islam debateIslam doesn′t need a Martin Luther!
Calls for an Islamic Reformation are issued in the wake of every Islamist act of terrorism. But Muslims don't need a Martin Luther. What is needed is a reconciliation of Islam with the constitutional state, says Loay Mudhoon
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Jan Bohmermann's BE DEUTSCHThe danger of being earnest
Forever with his finger on the pulse, Jan Bohmermann, the ″enfant terrible″ of Germany′s satirists, has released a video that reveals a lot – and arguably, more than he realises. By William Glucroft
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The Syrian uprising five years onAlive and kicking
After five years of war, violence and endless suffering, Syrian civil society is sending a clear message to Geneva: "We will not stop until Assad is gone." Assad, however, has no intention of relinquishing power, invoking of all things the wishes of the Syrian people. Kristin Helberg analyses the situation
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Five years of Arab SpringThe butterfly effect
It was the flap of a butterfly wing that was to trigger a storm in Europe. Mohamed Bouazizi's self-immolation in 2010 sent a clear signal: things were about to change. Despite many setbacks, the impact of this message is still being felt. By Karim El-Gawhary
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Repression and legitimation in EgyptThe world as Sisi sees it
A policy formula that only recognises two distinctions – those who are "for the regime" and those who are "against the regime", with the latter arguably grouped under the heading "potential terrorists" – is leading to widespread human rights violations and the persecution of those who hold different political views. A commentary by Thomas Demmelhuber
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Terrorism debate"Imagine there's a war and nobody notices"
Against the backdrop of the latest terrorist attacks in Paris, some think we should carry on enjoying our Western lifestyle and ignore the possibility of war. What an illusion! A contribution to the debate by Stefan Weidner
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The Paris attacks and Arab responsibilityAre we accomplices?
The massacres in Paris showed what a catastrophe the Al-Baghdadi "caliphate" represents and how it threatens to drag whole generations into a "clash of cultures". High time for Arabs and Muslims to seek out the roots of the fanaticism and delusion that have spread since 9/11, says the Lebanese journalist Zuheir Quseibati, bureau chief of "Al-Hayat" newspaper
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Post-Arabellion reform deadlockThe logic of power
The Arab world is locked into a huge cycle of violence. At the same time, reformers are isolated - both within the regimes and outside them. Those who advocate violence, on the other hand, sense momentum and are growing in number. And they are convinced that the future will be a violent one. An essay by the Kuwaiti political scientist Shafeeq Ghabra