Politics

100 years of Sykes-Picot

"A tapestry of plans and promises"

One hundred years ago, the Middle East was divvied up between the French and the British. The historian Maurus Reinkowski talks about the long-term effects of the colonialist powers' splitting up of the spoils. Interview by Andreas Noll
By Andreas Noll
Iraq′s political crisis

Al-Sadr the power broker

Demonstrators have gathered in Baghdad to protest Iraq's government every Friday for months. The Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is using the movement to stage his political comeback. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad
By Birgit Svensson
Political protests in Egypt

Sisi′s falling star

Just days after the Egyptian regime seemed capable of tolerating protests critical of its policies, the authorities clamped down massively on a new wave of demonstrations to hit the country. The security apparatus' ambivalent response to the unrest has raised questions. By Sofian Philip Naceur in Cairo
By Sofian Philip Naceur
Interview with Andre Bank, political scientist

"The refugees are part of Jordanian politics"

As conflicts continue to escalate in the region, Jordan remains stable. In fact, the kingdom is actually profiting from the chaos and the refugees, says political scientist Andre Bank in conversation with Jannis Hagmann
By Jannis Hagmann
Spate of murders in Bangladesh

See no evil, hear no evil

A spate of recent killings of secular bloggers, academics and activists has spotlighted the growing sense of insecurity in Bangladesh. Ali Riaz explains the reasons behind the attacks and the government's inaction
By Ali Riaz
Politics and economics in Iran

Pie in the sky

Four months after the historic nuclear deal, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has been left practically empty-handed. UN sanctions against Iran have been largely lifted, but those still in force are so complex that few financial institutions in Europe are daring to conduct any business with Tehran, where there is a growing sense of disappointment – leaving rich pickings for the radicals. By Ali Sadrzadeh
By Ali Sadrzadeh
Political crisis in Libya

United we stand?

Four months after the signing of one of the UN-backed peace agreements between the conflict parties in Libya, the unity government may have arrived in the capital, but it is still uncertain when it will be able to fully assume power. Valerie Stocker reports from Tripoli
By Valerie Stocker
Interview with the journalist and author Garance le Caisne

Caesar and the butcher of Damascus

In her book ″Codename Caesar. Im Herzen der syrischen Todesmaschinerie″ (Codename Caesar. At the heart of the Syrian death machine), Garance le Caisne reveals Bashar al-Assad′s system of torture and the efforts of ″Caesar″ the photographer to put an end to the murder. Interview by Ruth Renee Reif
By Ruth Renée Reif
Diyarbakir and the Turkish military offensive

The spoils of urban warfare

The Turkish military operation brought death and destruction to the historic heart of Diyarbakir. Now, there has been a sudden decision to nationalise the neighbourhood – sounding alarm bells for its historic legacy. By Sonja Galler
By Sonja Galler
Tunisia's fight against IS

Craving genuine alliance

Terrorism is threatening the only democracy to emerge from the Arab spring. Tunisia needs more support from the international community if it is to win the war on terror, writes Tawfik Jelassi
By Tawfik Jelassi
AfD and its historical antecedents

Whose struggle is it anyway?

The call by the AfD for a ban on Muslims being able to practise their faith freely and publicly is an attack on the German constitutional right to freedom of religious expression. If people start calling for minarets to be erased from public life, then it is not unreasonable to expect that one day, those minarets will burn, says Stefan Buchen
By Stefan Buchen
Corruption in Tunisia

Why look to Panama?

For Tunisia, the Panama Papers' revelations could not have come at a better time: after a long period of inactivity, they could put the wind back in the sails of the country’s lacklustre fight against corruption. Sarah Mersch reports from Tunis
By Sarah Mersch