Politics

Western withdrawal from Afghanistan

The symbolic importance of the U.S. defeat

Caught up in discussions on the future of local Afghan forces and new Islamist threats, people are failing to grasp the historic scale of the debacle, argues Stefan Buchen in his essay
By Stefan Buchen
Mohammed VI's coefficient swindle

Moroccan elections will be about maths, not change

The country's national election on 8 September will likely bring new government. But neither experts nor locals expect it to bring long-promised change, writes Cathrin Schaer
By Cathrin Schaer
Turkish foreign policy

Ankara – new guarantor of stability on the Hindu Kush?

Ankara's foreign policy apparatus is currently running at top speed. While politicians in the West busy themselves with evacuating Kabul and analysing the chaos, which not even optimists would term effective crisis management, Erdogan's Turkey seems to be one step ahead. By Ronald Meinardus
By Ronald Meinardus
Yemen and the Biden administration

"After the war, Yemen will no longer be a sovereign state"

At the beginning of his term, U.S. President Joe Biden said the war in Yemen must end because it had led to a "humanitarian and strategic catastrophe". Yet, according to Said AIDailami, the war continues with unabated ferocity because the warring parties have not yet achieved their political and economic goals. Interview for Qantara.de by Claudia Mende
By Claudia Mende
Wildfires in Turkey

Politics ablaze as forests burn in Turkey

The ruling Justice and Development Party's inadequate preparedness and apparent poor and slow response to the large-scale devastating wildfires ravaging the country has unleashed a fresh political debate in Turkey. By Ayşe Karabat in Istanbul
By Ayşe Karabat
Ebrahim Raisi takes office

The Iranian regime will stop at nothing to ensure survival

Against the backdrop of growing protests over water shortages, Iran's new hardline president took office last week. For ordinary Iranians, a life in fear and repression will continue, writes Azadeh Pourzand
By Azadeh Pourzand
Death sentences against Muslim Brotherhood members in Egypt

An act of reckoning

Attracting little attention from the world at large, Egypt's military regime has been mercilessly going after dissidents. Now, the first executions of prominent members of the Muslim Brotherhood loom. All the while, the true extent of the crackdown remains unknown. By Jannis Hagmann
By Jannis Hagmann
US withdrawal from Iraq

Not Afghanistan: Why the US and Iraq won't leave one another

While agreeing last week to a withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraq, neither Iraqi nor US leaders can admit publicly how much they need each other. By Cathrin Schaer
By Cathrin Schaer
Presidential take-over in Tunisia

Political earthquake in Tunis

Tunisia's President Kaïs Saïed has assumed executive powers in his country in a highly controversial and possibly unconstitutional manner, fuelling fears of an impending authoritarian rollback. Despite strong criticism of his intervention, many still hope for an end to the country's endemic crisis. By Sofian Philip Naceur
By Sofian Philip Naceur
Erdogan in Cyprus

No movement in the mediation deadlock

On his recent visit to Cyprus, Turkish President Erdogan continued to bang his two-state drum, insisting that this is now the only viable option for the divided island. By announcing the next phase of a plan to partially reopen the coastal resort of Varosha for Turkish Cypriot settlement, he is once again pushing his own agenda. By Ronald Meinardus in Istanbul
By Ronald Meinardus
Morocco's pre-election crisis of confidence

"People no longer trust us!"

In Morocco, years of patronage politics and favouritism have led to trust dwindling in government, parliament and the country's institutions. Neo-liberal policy-making favours enrichment and corruption, while the state holds a protective hand over the profiteers. Commentary by Moroccan analyst Ali Anouzla
By Ali Anouzla
Saudi Arabia, football and the Olympics

Making the leap from off-side to big league?

The Saudi national team is set to play the German Olympic squad at the Olympics in Tokyo later this month – a chance for the outsiders to make their mark. At the same time, and keen to buff up the nation's badly tarnished image, the Kingdom is looking to pitch for glory in the multi-million dollar football business. It's a risky strategy. By Sebastian Sons
By Sebastian Sons