Politics

Social unrest in Tunisia

You′re on your own

Strip away the friendly overtures made by various European countries towards Tunisia and you’ll find nothing more than exploitation and non-reciprocation. How else to explain their failure to step in as the North African state slides inexorably towards poverty? Commentary by Bachir Amroune
By Bachir Amroune
Protests rock Tunisia

A winter of discontent

Despite general frustration over economic hardships and the unfulfilled promises of the Arab Spring’s only success story, the revolutionary momentum that gripped Tunisia in 2011 has not waned seven years later. Tunisians seem intent on preserving the spirit of the revolution: bread, freedom and national dignity. By Houda Mzioudet
By Houda Mzioudet
Protests in Iran

No revolution in sight

Forty years after the start of the Islamic Revolution, Iran is once again convulsed with protests. Many of the economic problems facing the country today resemble those in the 1970s, and the regime appears to be scarcely less repressive and ossified than it was back then. Nevertheless, the current protests are unlikely to be the beginning of a new revolution, says Ulrich von Schwerin
By Ulrich von Schwerin
Presidential election in Egypt

Gearing up for re-election

Earlier this week, Egypt's National Election Authority announced that the country will go to the polls on 26–28 March to elect its president. Although Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has not yet announced that he will run, his re-election seems like a foregone conclusion. And while a number of other serious candidates intended to stand, it looks as if the field is thinning. By Bachir Amroune
By Bachir Amroune
Protests in Iran

The spark that turned into a wildfire

In this essay, Ali Fathollah-Nejad looks at how the ongoing unrest in Iran is shining a light on the structural social and economic injustices inherent in the Islamic Republic and shows just how much trust in Rouhani's government has been eroded
By Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Civil war in Syria

Fighting the jihadists with unusual weapons

Idlib, in north-western Syria, is dominated by jihadists. But resistance there takes on many forms, and civil structures are emerging as an effective weapon in the battle against terror. By Kristin Helberg
By Kristin Helberg
Egypt's rising debts

"A sign of crisis"

Egypt's military government is amassing debts to international lenders at record rates. With fiscal austerity measures biting, the country's poor and middle class are struggling to get by. By Tom Stevenson
By Tom Stevenson
Protests in Iran

An own-goal for the hardliners

The blaze of popular wrath that has been ignited in Iran's provinces has long since begun to consume the cities as well. Initially intended by hardliners as a demonstration of dissatisfaction with President Rouhani, the demonstrations are now directed at the system as a whole. By Ali Sadrzadeh
By Ali Sadrzadeh
Trump's Jerusalem decision

Unleashing a new wave of radicalisation?

After 1967, jihadists and Islamists mobilised people by highlighting the victimisation of Muslims and Islam. In the wake of Trump's internationally condemned decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, jihadist and Islamist groups could now use Palestine as proof of their theory that there is a "war on Islam". Trump's declaration plays right into their hands. Commentary by Abdalhadi Alijla
By Abdalhadi Alijla
The Gulen movement in Turkey

Creating an elite to lead the state

The movement of Turkish imam Fethullah Gulen has relied on schools, educational institutions and clubs to expand to many countries. Many experts view the movement with scepticism, however. They claim that it has cult-like structures and is pursuing a secret agenda, only pretending to be an open-minded education initiative with a moderate take on Islam. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan considers Gulen public enemy number one. By Timur Tinc
By Timur Tinç
Austria's new programme for government

En route to a restrictive policy on Islam?

This week, Austria's new centre-right and right-wing coalition published its programme for government. This programme does not view Muslims through the lens of human rights and freedom of religion as people to be protected and people who are particularly affected by racism. Instead, they are very obviously cast in the role of a potential threat, writes Farid Hafez
By Farid Hafez
Tunisia seven years after the Arab Spring

Facing an uncertain future

The Tunisian revolution, considered the catalyst for the movement that became known as the Arab Spring, began seven years ago. Today, Tunisia is still struggling to achieve democratic reform and economic growth. By Sarah Mersch
By Sarah Mersch