Politics

Sisi's rivals or the Muslim Brotherhood

Who is behind Egypt's protests?

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has suggested Islamists are behind rare recent anti-government protests. But is that just a deflection from the underlying factors fuelling unrest in the country?
By Tom Allinson
Between religion, oil dependence and reforms

Saudi Arabia under Mohammed bin Salman

An expert on Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, Guido Steinberg explains that the drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities last week were partly a manifestation of complex religious and historical forces. By Sabine Peschel
By Sabine Peschel
Protests in Egypt

Sisi's social media nightmare

Despite ongoing repression, hundreds of people took to the streets in Egypt at the weekend to demand the resignation of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. The protests were triggered by a hitherto largely unknown building contractor and his revelations about the Egyptian army. By Karim El-Gawhary
By Karim El-Gawhary
EU refugee deal

Erdogan wants rid of the Syrian refugees

President Erdogan has threatened to ditch the EU refugee deal. After election losses and faced with escalating conflict in Idlib, the attitude towards the growing number of Syrian refugees has become increasingly harsh. Daniel Heinrich has the details
By Daniel Heinrich
Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities

Hitting Saudi Arabia where it hurts

After the drone attacks on two oil plants in Saudi Arabia, U.S. President Trump warned that the USA was ready with a "loaded" weapon to react to the attacks. But against whom is his warning directed? By Karim El-Gawhary
By Karim El-Gawhary
Another round of Knesset elections

Deciding Netanyahu's fate

In terms of policy, this election has little else to offer. Social issues, the economy and the conflict with the Palestinians are not dominant themes; it’s a question of power. By Inge Gunther
By Inge Günther
Interview with Algerian opposition leader Soufiane Djilali

Political crisis in Algeria – is compromise in sight?

Presidential elections or constitutional assembly? Algeria's opposition continues to argue over ways to overcome the crisis. A proposal by the Jil Jadid party could finally break down the entrenched fronts. Sofian Naceur spoke to its leader, Soufiane Djilali
By Sofian Philip Naceur
Non-fiction: "War in Syria. Resolving a global conflict"

Refuting the populist mantra "Syrians go home"

Middle East expert Kristin Helberg has published an authoritative book on Syria. In it, she explains why the conflict there is by no means over. In her home country of Germany, however, the Syrian debate is short on hard facts and more often than not clouded by populist repatriation fantasies. By Rene Wildangel
By René Wildangel
Germanyʹs involvement in the Middle East

Merkelʹs anti-IS mission to continue in Syria

Despite internal wrangling, Germanyʹs ruling coalition partners have decided – subject to parliamentary approval – to prolong its military deployment in the fight against Islamic State. Individual parts of the mandate may be extended by varying degrees, but the deployment of German Tornados should only last five months. By Seda Serdar
By Seda Serdar
Sudan in transition

Darfur refugees dream of return

Military and pro-democracy leaders signed a power-sharing agreement in August paving the way for a promised democratic transition after 30 years of authoritarian rule in Sudan. But refugees who fled genocidal violence in Darfur are expressing their reservations about the deal. Marta Vidal met them in Amman, Jordan
By Marta Vidal
Joey Lawrenceʹs "We came from fire"

A tribute to the Kurds

With its large landscape format and its glossy colour photos, "We Came From Fire" by American-based Canadian photo journalist Joey Lawrence may look like a coffee table book, yet from the sub-title, "Kurdistan's Armed Struggle Against ISIS", to its content, this book is unlike any other. By Richard Marcus
By Richard Marcus
Democracy movements in the Arab world

Look to Sudan, Algeria!

A watershed moment in Sudan: after 30 years of repression, a civilian-led government looks set to co-determine the country’s future path. It's quite a different picture in Algeria: here, the people have been demonstrating against the military for months, to no avail. By Khaled Salameh
By Khaled Salameh