Politics

Interview with Nader Othman, deputy PM of the Syrian interim government

People want professionals, not Facebook heroes

The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces and the interim government it has formed have been subject to international criticism. They are regarded as ineffective, disunited and lacking support in Syria. Kristin Helberg spoke to the deputy prime minister of the interim government, Nader Othman, about elected provincial councils, progress and why Syria now needs engineers, not heroes
By Kristin Helberg
Islam in Pakistan

The myth of the Muslim monolith

In Pakistan, a radical minority of Muslims has usurped the definition of "Islam". Since the 1980s, government policies have supported their radical and violent ideology, and the judiciary confirmed that trend. The bitter irony is that the militant groups that benefited from state action are now not only terrorising the people, but rising up against the state itself. By Maryam S. Khan
By Maryam S. Khan
The Druze in the Syrian conflict

Potential to tip the scales

For many years, Syria's Druze community was regarded as a loyal ally of Assad. Yet their pleas to Damascus to protect them against extremist groups fell on deaf ears. Now, on account of their increasing distance to the Baath regime, the Druze are at risk of getting caught in the crossfire. Details by Firas Maksad
By Firas Maksad
Nuclear negotiations with Iran

Netanyahu down a diplomatic cul-de-sac

Israel's head of government has lambasted the framework agreement with Iran concerning Tehran's nuclear programme. He is convinced that the deal is a threat to Israel's security. But he is wrong, says Bettina Marx
By Bettina Marx
Saudi Arabia and the conflict in Yemen

Saudi actions backfire

Saudi Arabia bears the greatest responsibility for the triumphant advance of the Houthi militia in Yemen, says Birgit Svensson: the leading Sunni power in the Gulf simply stood by while a Shia counterbalance emerged virtually on its doorstep, thereby creating an opportunity for Tehran
By Birgit Svensson
The Tunisian judiciary

Piecemeal change as reform stalls

The reform of Tunisia's judiciary has not progressed since the political upheaval of 2011. According to the constitution passed a year ago, however, new institutions are planned for the future. The constitutional court soon faces a mammoth task. By Sarah Mersch
By Sarah Mersch
Radical Islamist groups in Tunisia

Tunisian-style jihad

The recent high-profile attack on the Bardo National Museum in Tunis shines a spotlight on the radical Islamist network that has emerged in Tunisia since the fall of the Ben Ali regime. An analysis by Hanspeter Mattes of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies
By Hanspeter Mattes
Iranian foreign policy

Iran, Assad and the endless war

A nuclear agreement with Iran could also mean hope for the settlement of the Syrian conflict. An essay by Charlotte Wiedemann
By Charlotte Wiedemann
Nuclear talks with Iran

The long hoped-for breakthrough

The framework agreement reached at the end of the long negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme in Lausanne goes much further and is much more specific than latterly expected. Iran has pledged to drastically reduce uranium enrichment and made clear concessions concerning the duration of the planned deal and in the phased lifting of sanctions. By Ulrich von Schwerin
By Ulrich von Schwerin
Interview with Rami G. Khouri

Fragmentation of the Arab world

The Palestinian-Jordanian political scientist and writer Rami G. Khouri sees links between increasing religious fanaticism and the reinvigoration of the old elites after the Arabellion. In an interview with Juliane Metzker, he looks back at four years of transformation, stagnation and instability in the Arab states.
By Juliane Metzker
The crisis in Yemen

History can help us to understand

Yemen continues to struggle with its worst crisis in years, as conflicting parties fight for control of the nation. The UN's special advisor says the country has been pushed to the brink of civil war, in a tussle that has serious implications for the region and the security of the West. By Elham Manea
By Elham Manea
After the attack on the Bardo Museum

Tunisia's darkest hour

The attack on the Bardo Museum has put Tunisia's young democracy to a crucial test. Conservative forces demand a severe crackdown against Islamists and thereby threaten to limit basic rights and freedoms. Attempts to address the real causes of terrorism are increasingly being overlooked in the process - with devastating consequences. By Ilyas Saliba
By Ilyas Saliba