Politics
Topics
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Interview with Middle East analyst Stephan Roll"Egypt's leadership feels markedly threatened by Turkey"
The dispute about maritime territories between Turkey and Greece is heating up. Egypt's involvement has added a new dimension to the conflict, says Middle East analyst Stephan Roll. Interview by Panagiotis Kouparanis
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Lebanese protesters call for systemic changeWhat now for Beirut, once the Paris of the Middle East?
The destruction of the port of Beirut – and Lebanon's free-falling economy – has fuelled calls to end the country's sectarian political system, which allocates power among Christians, Shia, and Sunni Muslims according to a rigid formula. But might such a change merely deepen suspicion among an already deeply divided population? by John Andrews
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Interview with Lebanese political scientist Bassel SalloukhWill a new Lebanon arise from the ashes of Beirut?
The explosions in Beirut killed more than 150 people, injured 6,000 and left 250,000 homeless. In interview with Julia Neumann, political scientist Bassel Salloukh talks about the consequences of this tragedy, the worsening political crisis – and the nature of political reality in Lebanon as the government slowly unravels
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Amman and The Teachers' SyndicateFree speech for everybody? Not so in Jordan, apparently
In recent weeks, Jordan's social media has been awash with photos and videos of demonstrators gathering in cities all over the country, chanting "Long live the teacher" and "we will not be silenced". Mainstream media coverage, however, has been noticeably lacking. By Marta Vidal
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The West and the Middle EastCasting a long shadow – Napoleon's intervention in Egypt
Napoleon Bonaparte’s 1798 invasion of Egypt represented the first modern attempt to incorporate an Islamic society into the European fold. Although the expedition was a military fiasco, it left a lasting legacy in the region. By Alexander Mikaberidze
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Uighur repression in ChinaDonald Trump, the obstacle to Washington's Uighur policy
A broad U.S.-led effort to hold the Chinese government to international account for its abuses of largely Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang would, at the very least, remind China that the world is watching. Sadly, President Donald Trump’s actions will likely convince Muslims only of the depths of his hypocrisy. By Anne-Marie Slaughter and Wardah Khalid
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New law on Turkish bar associationsDamaging judicial impartiality
While the government claims the new lawyers' act will be more pluralistic and democratic, lawyers believe it will harm the right to free trial and split them down political lines. By Ayşe Karabat
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Interview with Olivier Roy on the conversion of Hagia Sophia"Islamising stones is easier than Islamising souls"
The photos of the first Friday prayers in Hagia Sofia in 86 years triggered passionate and diverse responses around the world. Surrounded by a coterie of ministers, Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, led worshippers in prayer at the recently rededicated mosque. Eren Güvercin spoke to the renowned French political scientist Olivier Roy and asked him about the significance of the controversial reconversion
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Iraq's new governmentMr Kadhimi begins a clean-up operation
The new Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, has great plans. As he moves to realise those plans, he's fighting on many fronts. As the Americans pull out of Iraq, militias supported by Iran are violently consolidating their position. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad
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Libyan civil warTurkey versus France – a game of one-upmanship in Libya?
Relations between France and Turkey reached an historic low in June after Turkish ships allegedly targeted a French warship in the Mediterranean, resulting in France suspending its role in Operation Sea Guardian while accusing Turkey of violating an arms embargo against Libya. By Stasa Salacanin
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No end to conflict on the Hindu Kush?Islamic State threatens long-term peace in Afghanistan
A recent surge in attacks by Islamic State Khorasan Province in Afghanistan, claimed or otherwise, suggests the terrorist group is intent on disrupting any long-term peace initiatives between Kabul and the Taliban. By Emran Feroz
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The grim legacy of the Yugoslav WarsReflecting on Srebrenica – genocide denial concerns us all
Protecting the truth from deniers and serving justice for victims of the Srebrenica genocide is our best bet to prevent genocides from occurring again, writes Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic
Most read articles
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Sex tourism in Egypt
A bride for the summer
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Stefan Weidner on pre-Islamic poetry
"Poetry in its true fullness"
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Cannabis and Islam?
There is no one single answer
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Jan Dost on writing in Arabic and Kurdish
"Like being caught between two magnets"
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Lebanese singer Fairuz
The "grande dame" of Arab music turns 85
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Sectarian massacre on Syrian coast
"I am the sole survivor of my family"