Politics

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
Clan elections

How families are filling Gaza’s leadership void

Amid a catastrophic institutional vacuum, extended families are assuming an unprecedented role in Gaza. Across the Strip, Palestinian clans are holding elections to ensure they are taken into account by aid organisations. Meanwhile, some have political ambitions.
By Mohamed Solaimane
Syria after Assad

Promises of the revolution remain unfulfilled

Since December 2024, Syria has been oscillating between euphoria and disappointment. The British-Syrian analyst Robin Yassin-Kassab sees optimism as a resource, but the new government’s focus on stability as a potential pitfall.
By Robin Yassin-Kassab
War in Lebanon

Bint Jbeil – portrait of a decimated city

The Israeli army is demolishing entire towns in Lebanon, and with them, the rich history of the Shiite region in the country's south. The beleaguered town of Bint Jbeil offers a primer to the border region’s turbulent past.
By Joseph Croitoru
Q&A

What is happening in Sudan?

Since 2023, a brutal war has raged in Sudan, but the conflict receives little attention in the West. Who is fighting whom in the North African country, and what lies ahead?
By Saskia Jaschek
Migration through Bulgaria

Unmarked graves on the EU border

Bulgaria has assumed a key role in controlling migration into the EU. People attempting to cross from Turkey to Bulgaria report violence, pushbacks and unanswered emergency calls. Dozens have been killed or gone missing.
By Margherita Capacci, Christian Elia, Cecilia Fasciani, Sofia Turati
Political scientist Scott Straus on Sudan

"All the fundamentals of genocide are present"

Genocide scholar Scott Straus has spent decades studying the causes of mass violence. He examines the dynamics of violence in Darfur, arguing that international inaction on Sudan highlights a broader crisis in genocide prevention.
By Max Graef Lakin
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani

Iraq's economic reform experiment 

Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani is banking on hands-on reforms and new infrastructure projects to restore trust in the state. His approach has delivered short-term stability and popularity. But Iraq's oil dependence and economic weaknesses remain.
By Ali Ben Ali
Lebanese writer Hazem Saghieh

"Hezbollah has never protected Lebanon from Israel"

Hazem Saghieh says that the renewed war between Israel and Hezbollah has revealed deep divisions within Lebanese society rather than fostering unity. He warns that Israel's intervention to disarm Hezbollah risks paving the way for a new occupation.
By Stefan Maneval
Opposition figure Behrouz Farahani

"The war has frozen Iran's protest movements"

The Iran war stems from two reactionary forces, the hegemonic ambitions of Iran’s Shia establishment and the Israeli vision of reshaping the Middle East, says Behrouz Farahani. A ceasefire is urgent, he argues, and real change must come from within.
By Mehdi Abadi
Israeli activist Yuli Novak

"The system is based on violence"

In this interview, the head of Israeli NGO B’Tselem discusses the increasingly boundless violence in the region and argues that defending Palestinian rights is defending human rights worldwide. She urges Germany to lead in upholding international law.
By Judith Poppe