Politics

Returning IS fighters

Expatriation hardly an option

How should Germany deal with IS returnees from Syria? Can Berlin deny them the right to return? And would expatriation even be possible? By Nermin Ismail
By Nermin Ismail
Not-so-splendid isolation

Erdogan's geopolitical nightmare

Turkey’s emergence as a regional power has provoked suspicion, shaking the balance of power in the Middle East and beyond. As a result, relations with many regional players have deteriorated over the last decade. With diplomatic ties to the West currently at an historic low, is Turkey likely to end up out on a limb? By Stasa Salacanin
By Stasa Salacanin
Negotiating peace with the Taliban

Any deal will do

The tension among Kabul's political elite is palpable. Washington has been conducting negotiations for a peace deal with the insurgent Taliban in the Gulf emirate of Qatar for quite some time now, and the government in Kabul feels side-lined. Yet regardless of who is sitting around the negotiating table, almost all players in Afghanistan agree: the need for peace is urgent. By Emran Feroz
By Emran Feroz
Social unrest in Tunisia

Taking on the IMF

As the Tunis government’s international creditors tie loans to increasingly drastic austerity measures, social tensions continue to grow in the nation’s marginalised hinterland. By Sofian Philip Naceur
By Sofian Philip Naceur
Turkey's local elections

Playing ping-pong with the Syrians

In the run-up to local elections in Turkey, the government and opposition are trying to instrumentalise the refugee issue for their own ends. Experts warn against a rhetoric of division. Hilal Koylu reports from Ankara
By Hilal Köylü
The geopolitics of the Syrian conflict

Getting Erdogan on board

Recently, while considering the future of war-torn Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin invoked the Adana agreement signed over two decades ago between Turkey and Syria. How this should be interpreted depends on which side you are on, as Ayse Karabat explains
By Ayşe Karabat
UAE Ambassador Ali Abdulla Al Ahmed on Pope Francis' visit

"Both are religions of God and both are religions of peace"

Pope Francis will travel to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday on his first visit to the Arabian peninsula. The UAE's ambassador to Germany, Ali Abdulla Al Ahmed, tells Christoph Strack why it's so important for the region
By Christoph Strack
Eight years after the Arabellion

The Egyptian opposition's seven deadly sins

On 25 January 2011, millions of Egyptians took to the streets demanding "bread, freedom, social justice". Eight years later, the democratic opposition is divided because it has been unable to offer an alternative to the military state, says political scientist Taqadum Al-Khatib
By Taqadum al-Khatib
Weathering the Saudi blockade

Qatar thrives under pressure

The blockade of Qatar led by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states in the summer of 2017 was a shock for the small emirate. Meanwhile, however, it seems to have more than recovered: the economy is growing and the leadership is bursting with determination and self-confidence. By Anchal Vohra
By Anchal Vohra
Protests in Sudan

The yellow vests of Khartoum

Tens of thousands of Sudanese have been protesting for weeks against political and economic grievances in the war-wracked nation. The stability of an important partner of the West is also at stake. How will the situation develop? Annette Weber believes that three scenarios are possible
By Annette Weber
Interview with the UKʹs Lead Commissioner for Countering Extremism Sara Khan

"Weʹre living through an era of extremism"

In a bid for more dialogue, Sara Khan, UKʹs Lead Commissioner for Countering Extremism, calls on individuals to challenge extremism and on countries to ensure they defend and promote equality, human rights, pluralism and diversity. Interview by Ismail Nermin
By Nermin Ismail
Interview with Middle East expert Andre Bank

"Jordan consistently hedges its bets"

Many of King Abdullah II's regional policies are unpopular with Jordanians because they are perceived to be selling out Arab interests. In an interview with Diana Hodali, Middle East expert Andre Bank explains why this is so
By Diana Hodali