Politics

Kurdish activist Siamend Hajo

"We need to make use of Syria's transitional phase"

As an advocate of a democratic, decentralised constitution, Siamend Hajo has been involved in the UN's Syria peace process for many years. Since Assad's fall, he has criticised the UN for kowtowing to the new rulers.
By Pauline Ertel
The National Front

Egypt needs reform, not a new party

As elections approach in Egypt, a group of prominent political figures, intellectuals and business people have launched a new party. Who will it represent and can it revive a weakened political system?
By Ahmed Abdrabou
US Middle East policy

Is there a Trump-Netanyahu consensus?

Trump's new administration could give Israel even greater freedom to pursue its territorial and political ambitions in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, while the future of the ceasefire in Gaza hangs precariously in the balance.
By H. A. Hellyer
Democracy and secularism in Syria's revolution

United, not homogenous

In Syria, secularism is a fiercely contested topic. Assad supporters are using the term to discredit the revolution, while their opponents seek to redefine it. Yet this debate must not overshadow the revolution's central demand: democratic participation.
By Leila Al-Shami
Israel in new Merkel memoir "Freedom"

Merkel's reason of state

When Angela Merkel used the word "Staatsräson" in a 2008 speech to the Israeli Knesset, she may not have expected the enduring intensity of the debate it would ignite. In the new memoir "Freedom", the former chancellor reveals her idealised view of Israel, and her reluctance to acknowledge Palestinian perspectives.
By James Jackson
Trump and the Gulf States

Skeptical optimism in the Gulf

Saudi Arabia and the Emirates hope to reap economic benefits from the Trump presidency. But the Gulf has learned that Washington cannot be relied upon. Meanwhile, the Saudis could push Trump to take a tougher stance towards Israel.
By Sebastian Sons
Dawn of a new era

Zero hour in Syria

After more than half a century in power, the Assad regime has fallen. The end of one of recent history's most brutal dictatorships has sparked both joy and deep uncertainty about the country's future. Who are Syria's most powerful factions? And are there any "good guys"?
By Kristin Helberg
Kuwait’s political future

Can semi-democracy survive?

Six months after Kuwait's new emir dissolved parliament, its members have yet to resume their work. Still, there are strong indications that the country’s unique parliamentary system will prevail.
By Hossam Sadek
Syrian-Kurdish politician Elham Ahmed

"Syria should be governed federally like Iraq or the UAE"

Elham Ahmed, the foreign representative of northeast Syria, voices concern for minorities in Aleppo following the city’s recent capture. In an interview with Qantara, she outlines her vision of a decentralised Syria and comments on the German debate over the deportation of criminal refugees.
By Mohammed Magdy
Support for Palestine in Germany

A nation gripped by moral panic

The Bundestag has passed a new resolution against antisemitism, which critics warn could endanger freedom of expression. Sociologist Donatella della Porta examines recent debates on antisemitism in Germany, arguing that a moral panic has resulted in the construction of an administrative apparatus that suppresses progressive voices.
By Donatella della Porta
German resolution on antisemitism in education

A brazen act of state repression

German lawmakers are considering a new draft resolution that claims to combat antisemitism in educational institutions. Instead, it presents a one-dimensional view of Jewish life and erases crucial space for debate on Israeli politics and Germany's role in Gaza.
By Thomas Herzmark
Turkey's Gülen movement

The promise of Islamic moral governance

Though often portrayed as unique, the teachings and tactics of the Gülen movement have generally aligned with those of Turkey's Sunni mainstream. The movement's fraught relationship with the AKP reveals deeper tensions within the country's religious-political landscape. With both camps failing to establish a more ethical, Islam-based politics, a critical reassessment is overdue.
By Salim Çevik