Politics

After the ousting of Omar al-Bashir

Sudan holding out for real change

The political future of Sudan must now be hammered out from a precarious starting point. Demonstrators in Khartoum cannot instigate a new beginning without the old institutions; and the transition from toppled dictator to his former military allies will not be seamless. By Karim El-Gawhary
By Karim El-Gawhary
Russian involvement in Libya

Backing Haftar to the hilt?

The rumours that Libyan General Khalifa Haftar has Kremlin support are as consistent as his advance on the country's capital. In Syria, Russia has flexed its military muscles – but it isn't yet showing its cards on Libya. By Emily Sherwin
By Emily Sherwin
Elias Khoury on the Arab Spring 2019

The re-birth of Tahrir Square

Ask what happened to the spirit of Tahrir Square and we find the reply in the Maghreb. Today Tahrir Square is in Algeria, in Sudan, and in many other places besides. Perhaps the secret of the Arab Spring lies not in its victories or its defeats, writes Elias Khoury, but in its ability to liberate people from fear
By Elias Khoury
Refugee camps in Libya

Guilty of torture and rape by association – Europeʹs dirty secret

An increasing number of refugees are being tortured and raped in Libya, a new study has found. The perpetrators, motivated by greed, sadism and the desire for power, include local European Union partners. By Nermin Ismail
By Nermin Ismail
Chinaʹs oppression of the Uighurs

Save our Turkic brothers, Mr. President!

Following a long silence, the Turkish government yielded to pressure from its nationalist voter base in February – arguably in a bid to garner local election votes – and criticised the persecution of the Uighur people by China. Yet how to strike a balance between Turkic solidarity and pressing economic interests? By Ulrich von Schwerin
By Ulrich von Schwerin
Israel′s parliamentary elections

To be or not to be – the Netanyahu question

Rarely has there been a more exciting run-up to an election in Israel – yet rarely one so polarising either. After ten years in office, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's re-election now hangs in the balance. His challenger, former Chief of General Staff Benny Gantz, is matching him in the polls. Inge Gunther reports from Jerusalem
By Inge Günther
Local elections in Turkey

Erdogan's allure is fading

Because he completely dominated the poll, the Turkish President will be finding it even harder to swallow his party's defeats in Ankara und Istanbul. The loss of Turkey's two biggest cities shows that in the midst of an economic crisis, more Turks want solid solutions instead of bluster and grandstanding aimed at polarising the electorate. By Ulrich von Schwerin
By Ulrich von Schwerin
U.S.A. recognises Israeli annexation

Why so silent over the Golan?

U.S. President Donald Trump has disregarded international law by recognising Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. But why have reactions to the move thus far been so muted? By Karim El-Gawhary
By Karim El-Gawhary
Algeria in transition

Time's up, Bouteflika!

He was brought in by the generals to save the regime, instead he ousted them one after the other. But Bouteflika was no democrat. He had come to rule for life and be buried as President. Now his own people appear to be de-railing those plans. By Bachir Amroune
By Bachir Amroune
Government by consensus post-Bouteflika?

Algerians riding a cyberspace wave

As Algerians wait with baited breath to see if Bouteflika steps down, Nourredine Bessadi takes a look at the role social media is playing in the current wave of social and political unrest. Already influencing the countryʹs political trajectory, will this cyberspace discourse ultimately challenge the legitimacy of the state?
By Nourredine Bessadi
Germany post-Christchurch

Showing a stunning lack of solidarity

German politicians and media have been surprisingly quiet in the wake of the attack on two mosques in New Zealand. Donʹt we care about the victims, asks Jaafar Abdul Karim
By Jaafar Abdul Karim
Countering U.S. sanctions with INSTEX

Europe throws Iran a line

In an attempt to salvage the Iran nuclear deal, Germany, France and Britain recently set up a new vehicle of non-dollar trade with the Islamic Republic. The policy is diplomatically valid, but in economic terms it may well prove too little, too late. By Maysam Behravesh
By Maysam Behravesh