Politics

Obituary for Hosni Mubarak

Egypt's 'pharaoh' is dead

Egypt's former long-term president is dead. His ailing political and economic legacy is now in the hands of the country's present-day authoritarian rulers. An obituary from Cairo by Karim El-Gawhary
By Karim El-Gawhary
Parliamentary elections 2020 in Iran

Era of the Khamenei vassals

Once again there was not much to vote for in the Islamic Republic. Half of the candidates were excluded anyway. But for Khamenei, the election was part of a larger plan, namely full-scale preparation for an uncertain future. By Ali Sadrzadeh
By Ali Sadrzadeh
Racist terror in Germany

ʺNever againʺ? Let’s hope so!

Nine victims of the right-wing extremist murderer of Hanau had a migration background. The motive for the crime is clear and unambiguous: racism. Sheila Mysorekar from the "Neue deutsche Medienmacher*innen" comments
By Sheila Mysorekar
Racist attack on Hanau

Not the only Nazi ideologue...

The template of the mentally disturbed gunman doesn't fit. Seeing himself as a spearhead, heralding a new rise to power, the murderer of Hanau placed himself squarely in the Nazi tradition, says Stefan Buchen in his analysis
By Stefan Buchen
Elections in the Islamic republic

Strong vote for a strong Iran?

In the run-up to Iran’s parliamentary elections on 21 February, state media was at full blast. Urging Iranians to take to the polls, state TV’s Channel 1 ran an election-day countdown, showing images of past elections and enthusiastic voters, regularly interrupted by music appealing to Iranians' sense of patriotism and nationalism. By Ali Fathollah-Nejad
By Ali Fathollah-Nejad
War in Syria

The horror of Idlib

The recent escalation of violence in Idlib is also a result of the increasing tensions between Turkey and Russia. The victims are those in Idlib, caught up in a hopeless situation amid a huge spectrum of differing interests. By Bente Scheller
By Bente Scheller
French nuclear tests in the Maghreb 60 years on

Delayed fallout in Algeria

Decades after the first French nuclear test in Algeria, thousands of victims are still waiting for compensation. To date only 51 claims have been filed under French legislation introduced ten years ago – and only one Algerian compensated. By Elizabeth Bryant
By Elizabeth Bryant
Paris and Rabat in diplomatic stand-off

Is France losing its backyard in North Africa?

Having seen a sharp decline in its influence in Tunisia and Algeria, France is eyeing China and Spain’s growing economic presence in Morocco with concern. Is Paris about to lose its "backyard" in North Africa altogether? An analysis by political scientist Mohamed Taifouri for Qantara.de
By Mohamed Taifouri
The icon of Tahrir Square in Baghdad and Cairo

Arab Spring and October Revolution

The past enthusiasm of the Egyptians lives on in the Iraqis of today. But just as they were nine years ago in Cairo, current prospects in Baghdad are dim. A comparison by Birgit Svensson
By Birgit Svensson
At Khomeini's service

Britain complicit in the crushing of Iran's Tudeh party

Recently the British National Archives released the correspondence of former high-ranking British diplomats posted to Iran in the early eighties. The letters indicate that the United Kingdom put its weight behind crushing the Iranian opposition Tudeh party in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution. By Iman Aslani
By Iman Aslani
USA, Israel and the Palestinians

Trump's sham attempt at peace

As we digest the details of Donald Trump's Vision for Peace, we need to ask ourselves just one question: does this draft guarantee an Israeli and a Palestinian baby born today equal civil rights, freedom of travel and a self-determined life in security and dignity twenty years from now? By Inge Gunther
By Inge Günther
Interview with Middle East expert Lara Friedman

"A kosher stamp for Israel to retain control over the West Bank"

As expected the Trump administration released its Israeli-Palestinian peace blueprint on Tuesday, a plan that ignores the Palestinians at the expense of lasting peace. Middle East expert Lara Friedman spoke to Wesley Rahn
By Wesley Rahn