Politics
Topics
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Iran's corruptocracyWhy the Abadan building collapse matters
Days of protests across Iran followed the collapse of a high-rise building in the city of Abadan in May 2022. But why has the disaster become such a political issue? Rahman Bouzari and Ali Fathollah-Nejad report
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Syria and UkraineHumanitarian aid is Russia's political football
Millions in Idlib depend on aid coming through a northern border crossing. On 10 July, the UN Security Council votes whether to keep it open. The decision may hinge not only on Syria, but also on the Ukraine war. Diana Hodali reports
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Algeria‘s gas reservesIs defending the environment terrorism?
Algeria‘s regime is again cracking down on anti-fracking activists and the unemployed in the country‘s south. Yet EU countries remain keen to scale up their energy cooperation with Algiers, despite the reprisals faced by environmentalists. By Sofian Philip Naceur
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The Turkish state and the Kurdish questionTurkey – a battle of narratives
For a century, the Kurds and other minorities in Turkey have been subject to state repression. With his dissertation "The Kurdish Question in Turkey", political analyst Ismail Kupeli presents a new research paper on the topic. Interview by Gerrit Wustmann
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Middle East conflictIsrael's endless occupation
Fifty-five years after Israel began occupying Palestinian lands, it is more difficult than ever to imagine a way out. The seeds of the two-state solution that were planted by visionary leaders on both sides have failed to take root. All that remains is a fatalistic acceptance of the conflict’s insolubility. Commentary by Schlomo Ben-Ami
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Which country will be next?Lebanon and Sri Lanka share economic collapse
Lebanon and Sri Lanka may be a world apart, but they share a history of political turmoil and violence that has led to the collapse of once-prosperous economies bedevilled by corruption, patronage, nepotism and incompetence. By Zeina Karam and David Rising
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Western SaharaIs a gas crisis with Algeria on the horizon for Spain?
Madrid's about-face on the Western Sahara conflict has enraged Algeria. Trade relations have been frozen unilaterally and a cut in gas supplies to Europe could be in the pipeline. By Ralph Schulze
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Electioneering in TurkeyTurkish right-wing populists on the rise
Right-wing radicalism and nationalism have dominated Turkish politics for decades. Now a new right-wing populist grouping is stirring things up: enter the "Victory Party". By Elmas Topcu
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Middle EastIn Iraq, sectarian prejudice goes beyond the grave
The "Islamic State" group is gone, but many of their Iraqi victims are still missing. They may well be buried in mass graves the extremists left. But critics say exhumations are too slow, and possibly politically biased. By Judit Neurink
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Iraq bans contact with IsraelAnti-Semitism as state doctrine?
A law has been passed by the Iraqi parliament that criminalises any contact with Israel. In the midst of heated debates on the subject, one crucial aspect has been forgotten: the restitution of Jewish property. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad
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Siemens wins major contract in EgyptHigh speed up the Nile valley
It is the biggest order in the history of the Siemens Group: a 2,000-kilometre railway network for high-speed trains is to be built in Egypt. But the project raises numerous questions. By Karim El Gawhary
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Iran and the Ukraine warAli Khamenei prepares for the future
The Ukraine war is changing the global geopolitical landscape. Ali Khamenei, Iran's most powerful man, is already cosying up to Russia in anticipation of a harsh post-war reality. By Ali Sadrzadeh
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