Emmanuel Macron

France's 'Nahel' riots

A legacy of colonial racism?

The rioting in France seems to have eased off, but what will remain is anger. The issue of racism that is linked to the country's colonial past is more often than not brushed aside. Marina Strauss reports from Brussels
Death of teen Nahel

France: A chronicle of police violence

Riots have gripped France for days since the fatal police shooting of a teenager on 27 June. It's just the latest in a series of allegedly racist incidents that protesters say the state has failed to adequately address, writes Oliver Pieper
Economic diplomacy

Who wants to invest in Syria now?

Recent events may indicate the world wants to start doing business with Syria again, despite its government being accused of war crimes. But, asks Cathrin Schaer, how likely is it China, the EU and Gulf states will start spending big there?
Rebranded MbS meets Macron: Rights groups decry 'hypocrisy'

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The visit aims to boost bilateral ties and the oil kingdom's international standing. But human rights groups warn that the Saudis' gain is France’s loss.
Lebanon's economic collapse

Staring into the abyss

Lebanon was long viewed as the Switzerland of the Middle East. Until relatively recently, billions were deposited in its banks. Gulf states were among the foremost investors in Beirut. But this all came to an end in 2019. Now the troubled nation is gripped by the worst economic crisis in its history. Birgit Svensson reports from Beirut and Tripoli
FIFA, France and Qatar

Qatar Airways' own goal

While the ongoing legal dispute between Qatar Airways and European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has sent shockwaves across the entire global aviation sector, it may also threaten preparations for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. By Stasa Salacanin
Scholz in Saudi Arabia and the Emirates

The autocrats' finest hour

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's recent trip to the Persian Gulf underlines Germany's need for consistency in its dealings with the region's assertive rulers, writes Loay Mudhoon
Putin’s new world order

What does the war in Ukraine mean?

Despite what heads of state may claim, the Russian attack on Ukraine is not a wake-up call for a self-confident Europe that defends its values. The war is accelerating the decline of the old continent and rousing familiar spectres from the past that never really went away. Meanwhile, the Middle East is reprising its not unfamiliar role as an under-reported fringe region. Essay by Stefan Buchen
Egypt, France, a growing alliance

The Cairo-Paris axis

A growing alliance between Cairo and Paris is resulting in significant foreign policy coordination, with political and economic repercussions on the horizon for both Egypt and France. By Maged Mandour
Sixty years after the Paris Massacre

When will France apologise to the Algerians?

Shot, beaten to death or drowned: a demonstration by tens of thousands of Algerians ended in the "Paris Massacre" on 17 October 1961. Sixty years on, historians and victims' associations are calling for a sign from President Macron. By Andreas Noll
Germany and the discussion surrounding "Political Islam"

Berlin 2021 is not Tehran 1979

Several media reports in recent weeks have focused on the potential threat presented by Islamist groups in Germany. The discourse is fraught with generalisations, both sides accusing the other of their inability to differentiate, writes Tayfun Guttstadt
International Libya Conference in Berlin

Libyans harbour high hopes for a transition to stability

The Libya Conference will be held in Berlin on 23 June. Much has been achieved since the last Libya Conference in Berlin in January 2020. The ceasefire is holding, there is a united interim government for the first time and parliamentary elections are scheduled for 24 December. But the path ahead remains strewn with obstacles. By Karim El-Gawhary