Politics
Topics
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Civil society since the Arab Spring
Europe must support the agents of change
Civil society organisations in West Asia and North Africa face widespread repression. But instead of supporting activists on the ground, European policymakers continue to prop up autocratic regimes.
By Ilyas Saliba -
Erdoğan rival Ekrem İmamoğlu
Detained but defiant
Days before he was set to secure his official presidential candidacy, Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested on corruption and terrorism charges. A relative unknown until he won Istanbul's mayoralty in 2019, how did he become Erdoğan's greatest rival?
By Ayşe Karabat -
Syria after Assad
A future built on citizenship and freedom
Syria's new leadership has not made a clear enough commitment to civil liberties. An inclusive understanding of citizenship, rooted in the history of Arab national movements, is needed to ensure that the goals of the 2011 uprising are not lost from view.
By Samir Aita -
Öcalan and the PKK
From terrorist to peacemaker
On Saturday, the PKK declared a ceasefire in response to jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan's call to disarm. The collapse of the last Turkey-PKK ceasefire in 2015 triggered an eruption of violence. Will Öcalan succeed in ending the 47-year-old conflict this time?
By Leyla Egeli -
Turkey and post-Assad Syria
Bound together by fate, history and migration
Turkey’s close ties to the new Syrian regime have reignited fierce debates at home. In Syria, Turkey sees a reflection of its own deep divisions—Islamist vs. secular, Alawite vs. Sunni, Turkish vs. Kurdish.
By Ayşe Karabat -
German elections 2025
Debates on the Middle East, migration and antisemitism
Germany heads to the polls on 23 February. Where do the main parties stand on migration, Israel and Gaza, antisemitism and the future of Syria?
By Leon Holly -
Palestinian political scientist Khalil Shikaki
"The ceasefire is unsustainable without a vision for peace"
Khalil Shikaki has been conducting polls in Palestine since 1993. He argues that Palestinians need a unified interim leadership to pave the way for elections, and warns against Trump's destabilising plans for the region.
By Inge Günther -
Kurdish activist Siamend Hajo
"We need to make use of Syria's transitional phase"
As an advocate of a democratic, decentralised constitution, Siamend Hajo has been involved in the UN's Syria peace process for many years. Since Assad's fall, he has criticised the UN for kowtowing to the new rulers.
By Pauline Ertel -
The National Front
Egypt needs reform, not a new party
As elections approach in Egypt, a group of prominent political figures, intellectuals and business people have launched a new party. Who will it represent and can it revive a weakened political system?
By Ahmed Abdrabou -
US Middle East policy
Is there a Trump-Netanyahu consensus?
Trump's new administration could give Israel even greater freedom to pursue its territorial and political ambitions in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, while the future of the ceasefire in Gaza hangs precariously in the balance.
By H. A. Hellyer -
Democracy and secularism in Syria’s revolution
United, not homogenous
In Syria, secularism is a fiercely contested topic. Assad supporters are using the term to discredit the revolution, while their opponents seek to redefine it. Yet this debate must not overshadow the revolution's central demand: democratic participation.
By Leila Al-Shami -
Israel in new Merkel memoir "Freedom"
Merkel's reason of state
When Angela Merkel used the word "Staatsräson" in a 2008 speech to the Israeli Knesset, she may not have expected the enduring intensity of the debate it would ignite. In the new memoir "Freedom", the former chancellor reveals her idealised view of Israel, and her reluctance to acknowledge Palestinian perspectives.
By James Jackson
Most read articles
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TV series "Muawiya"
Historical Ramadan drama fuels controversy
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Sectarian massacre on Syrian coast
“I am the sole survivor of my family”
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Prostitution in Tunisia
The big reveal
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Sex tourism in Egypt
A bride for the summer
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Interview with the Islam scholar Ahmad Milad Karimi
Accessing the Koran
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Musician Michael Barenboim on Gaza
"Nothing justifies genocide"