Politics
Topics
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Germany's Middle East policyIs Germany changing tack?
Violent conflicts are spreading throughout the Middle East. The German government is extending a hand to the Egyptian president, siding with Saudi Arabia in the Yemen conflict and delivering weapons to the Peshmerga. But there is criticism from the opposition and scepticism within the ruling coalition. By Bettina Marx
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Interview with Nader Othman, deputy PM of the Syrian interim governmentPeople 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
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Islam in PakistanThe 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
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The Druze in the Syrian conflictPotential 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
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Nuclear negotiations with IranNetanyahu 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
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Saudi Arabia and the conflict in YemenSaudi 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
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The Tunisian judiciaryPiecemeal 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
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Radical Islamist groups in TunisiaTunisian-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
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Iranian foreign policyIran, 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
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Nuclear talks with IranThe 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
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Interview with Rami G. KhouriFragmentation 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.
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The crisis in YemenHistory 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