Politics

Syria's economy

Austerity and liberalisation won't rebuild the country

Syria's government is pursuing economic growth through liberalisation, foreign investment and cuts to state spending. These moves benefit the new elite but won't lift the majority out of crisis.
By Joseph Daher
Religion in the armed forces

Military imams to be introduced in Germany

From 2026, Germany's Bundeswehr will recruit chaplains for Muslim soldiers, responding to calls from Islamic associations that go back over two decades.
By Ulrike Hummel
One year after Assad

The road to a new Syria

A year ago, rebel forces ousted Syria’s Assad regime. How has the country changed since? Leading experts weigh in.
Assad's Syria

"Our documents reveal how state terror was organised"

Human rights activist Hassan al-Hariri risked his life to gather evidence of the atrocities committed by the Assad regime. One year after Assad's fall, he still sees major shortcomings in Syria's process of coming to terms with its past.
By Andrea Backhaus
Palestinian journalist Plestia Alaqad

"Our very existence is seen as a provocation"

Plestia Alaqad’s reporting from Gaza in 2023 reached millions worldwide. Now based in Australia, she reflects on fleeing her home and living with survivor’s guilt while representing Palestine to the international media.
By Elias Feroz
Disarming Hezbollah in Lebanon

Nasrallah on the Pigeon Rocks

When the Lebanese government moved to disarm Hezbollah, the influential militia responded with a symbolic show of force in the heart of Beirut. Is it projecting strength, or masking political weakness?
By Stefan Maneval
UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany

Politics over preservation?

Khaled El-Enany has been appointed to lead UNESCO, sparking intense debate. Critics cite the former minister's role in controversial demolitions and redevelopment projects in Egypt, arguing that his approach to heritage was shaped by political considerations.
By Ahmed El-Gammal
Rebuilding Khartoum

The same old tale of power and exclusion

While Sudan's de facto government focuses on reviving the capital, its reconstruction policies follow a familiar pattern: channelling resources to the centre while neglecting the marginalised, war-torn periphery.
By Mahitab Mahgoub
50 years of occupation in Western Sahara

The "pearl of the south" is still not free

Morocco celebrates Sahrawi heritage through state TV, tourism campaigns and festivals. But self-determination for Western Sahara remains a distant prospect, while the central government deepens its hold on the territory through major development projects.
By Bettina Gräf
Morocco protests

"Gen Z has surprised the political elites"

For two weeks, a group called Generation Z 212 led mass youth protests across Morocco, demanding reforms in healthcare and education. Researcher Mohamed Sammouni says the movement lays bare a crisis of political legitimacy.
By Imad Stitou
Israeli-Palestinian conflict

"Jerusalem is the key to a political solution"

Peace through interdependence? According to Yudith Oppenheimer and Amy Cohen of Israeli NGO Ir Amim, a shared capital city could pave the way for an end to the violence.
By Jannis Hagmann, Mohammed Magdy
Two years after October 7

Making a case for a wide-ranging viewpoint

Two years after October 7, the need for honest analysis has never been more urgent. Real understanding can only emerge when we begin at the right place—by looking beyond recent events and the history of occupation of the Palestinian territories.
By Karim El-Gawhary