Politics

Turkey

A 100-year-old democracy with ups and downs

Turkey will mark the centenary of the proclamation of the Turkish republic in October. But 2023 will be an important year in another respect too: Turks will go to the polls in June to elect their next president – an election that could usher in a new era in its history. By Burak Ünveren
By Burak Ünveren
Port of Berbera, Somaliland

The development of a trade hub in the Horn of Africa

Dubai-based DP World is expanding its operations in Somaliland as part of a plan to turn the breakaway region into a major trade hub. Though Somaliland has relinquished commercial power, it may gain political weight. By Jonas Gerding
By Jonas Gerding
The Netherlands apologises for slavery

A dark period in Dutch history and its modern legacy

The government in the Netherlands, one of the last European nations to abolish slavery, has made an historic apology. But some feel that there is still a long way to go. By Ella Joyner
By Ella Joyner
Qatar

How Qatar turns its cash into foreign policy power

For years, Qatar has pursued a "soft" foreign policy that helped make international friends and influence the powerful. It includes spending billions on everything from fashion, art and sport, to charities and industry. By Cathrin Schaer
By Cathrin Schaer
Turkey

AKP under scrutiny for ties to ultraconservative Islamic community

The ultraconservative Ismail Aga community has close links to Turkey's ruling AKP. Some are now questioning the community's influence after news reports of the forced marriage of a six-year-old girl within the group. By Burak Ünveren
By Burak Ünveren
Parliamentary election in Tunisia

Tunisia's undemocratic drift

Tunisians go to the polls to elect a new parliament on Saturday, 17 December. The election is likely to result in a dummy parliament, sealing its undemocratic credentials. This is the latest episode in a turbulent chapter for the north African country where the Arab Spring began. Can the autocratic drift be reversed? By Amine Ghali
By Amine Ghali
Arab world on tenterhooks

World Cup semi-final – "We are all Moroccans"

Morocco has taken the 2022 World Cup by storm, with the northwest Africans reaching the semi-finals for the first time in their soccer history. As the knockout match approaches, Birgit Svensson's public viewing report from Baghdad throws a different light on Morocco's recent victories in Qatar
By Birgit Svensson
Sudan's path to democratic transition

Will the Sudan deal hold?

Sudanese protesters have been calling for the removal of German diplomat Volker Perthes from the UN mission to the country. Despite the fractious nature of post-dictatorship politics, there are some reasons for optimism, such as the latest deal. By Cathrin Schaer
By Cathrin Schaer
Turkey, Iran – and Iraq's Kurds

Days of reckoning

The Kurds are under attack from two sides: from Turkey, and from Iran. The situation in their territories in northern Iraq is becoming increasingly desperate. Birgit Svensson reports from Erbil
By Birgit Svensson
Politics, Qatar and FIFA

Is criticism of Qatar's World Cup racist?

Locals in the Middle East have said European critics are showing bias and hypocrisy when they condemn Qatar. Observers agree that Qatar has had to deal with more criticism than usual for a World Cup host. Cathrin Schaer and Emad Hassan ask why
By Cathrin Schaer, Emad Hassan
COVID-19, COP27 and World Cup 2022

Crisis management in the Arab world

November 2022 sees the Arab world firmly in the spotlight with the COP27 in Egypt and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Public trust in MENA governments is weak, thanks to their miserable record in protecting citizens’ rights, which leaves nations ill-equipped to handle complex crises like climate change or COVID-19. By Jan Voelkel
By Jan Voelkel
Extortion and intimidation in Swat Valley

Pakistan Taliban racketeering hits borderlands

A lawmaker in Pakistan's rugged northwest was sipping tea with voters when his phone chirped to life – the Taliban were calling with a demand for 'donations'. "We hope you won't disappoint" read the chilling text from a shady go-between of the Pakistan chapter of the Islamists, known as Tehreek–e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)