Politics

Hormuz and Bab el‑Mandeb

Centuries of struggle for the Straits

Three colonial powers—the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British—gained, and then lost, control over the straits of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. Today, as the US and Iran struggle over these vital chokepoints, history offers a warning.
By Ibrahim Al-Marashi
Anti-colonialism

"Palestine reveals the limits of international solidarity"

Why do African publics stand so firmly with Palestine while many of their governments court Israel? Algerian researcher Raouf Farrah traces the answer to the continent's anti-colonial past, and to the gap between popular solidarity and state diplomacy.
By Nadia Addezio
German state elections

Migrants face a shifting political reality

The far-right AfD made historic gains in September's state elections, while the Left Party came out on top in Berlin for the first time. Migrants across the country are now considering what the results could mean for their everyday lives and futures.
By Somaya Abdelrahman
Gilbert Achcar on the impact of 9/11

"The Iraq War shattered the promise of a new world order"

The attacks of 11 September 2001 fundamentally altered US foreign policy and triggered a series of wars that have reshaped the Middle East. 25 years on, Gilbert Achcar reflects on the US response to 9/11 and its enduring impact on the region.
By Jannis Hagmann
Taliban in Afghanistan

Power consolidated, society reshaped

In the five years since regaining power, the Taliban have cemented their rule in Afghanistan, bringing armed conflict in the country to a relative lull. Their ambitions go beyond maintaining control: they are seeking to transform the country from the bottom up.
By Nabila Lalee
Death sentence for Bashar al-Assad

Justice cannot be rushed

The abrupt verdict against Bashar al-Assad is a missed opportunity for justice. A genuine trial could have documented the full extent of his crimes and given survivors a platform to tell their stories.
By Rime Allaf
Turkey's Süleymancı community

The cost of staying outside Erdoğan's orbit

The Süleymancı religious movement has long resisted being drawn into Erdoğan's Sunni conservative coalition. Now the state is accusing the group of financial crimes. Salim Çevik examines the crackdown, the community's political history and its ties to Germany.
By Salim Çevik
General Amnesty Law

A solution to Lebanon's prison crisis?

Thousands of inmates in Lebanon are held in overcrowded prisons under appalling conditions, many without a final verdict. A proposed law promises relief, but political and sectarian rivalries stand in the way.
By Abdalla Najjar
Denaturalisation

Kuwait is stripping its leading intellectuals of citizenship

Up to 300,000 people in Kuwait have lost their citizenship in the last two years. What the authorities describe as a "correction" is leaving stars of the national cultural scene stateless. Among them is Talib al-Rifai, the "father of the Kuwaiti novel".
By Abdulrahman Afif
Syria after Assad

Striking deals with the old elites

The HTS regime presents itself as the "liberator of Syria" while collaborating with key figures from the Assad era. Instead of conducting a thorough reckoning with the past, the new elites are consolidating power with the help of the old.
By Monzer Haider
Saudi sports policy

The limits of Saudi Arabia's football ambitions

Saudi Arabia has emerged as an influential player in the politics of international sports, particularly football. The 2034 World Cup will be hosted by the Kingdom, but war in the Gulf could be jeopardising its ambitious goals.
By Sebastian Sons
Israeli filmmaker Netalie Braun

"There's room for everyone between the river and the sea"

What does it take to make anti-militarist cinema in a country where, as Netalie Braun puts it, the army "resides in the DNA of society"? In this interview, she discusses navigating censorship, boycotts and the challenges of imagining peace amid violence.
By Tamar Ziff