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MENASource

Jun 7, 2018

Factbox: Jordan’s austerity protests

By Rachel Rossi, Shruti Kumar, and Aisha Han

Jordan, a key Western ally and major recipient of US aid, has recently experienced its largest protests since 2012. The ongoing protests began in May as a direct response to the new tax bill backed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which increases tax brackets, widens the tax base, and penalizes tax evaders. The IMF […]

Macroeconomics Middle East

MENASource

Jun 6, 2018

Elections in Libya: No alternative?

By Karim Mezran

Many sensible, rational, and fundamentally correct objections have been raised by members of the press, regional experts, and NGOs.

Elections Libya

MENASource

Jun 6, 2018

Turkey’s election: Anything is possible

By Aaron Stein

After sixteen years in power, Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) is facing a serious challenge from an allied opposition in the run-up to the June 24 national election. In a first, Turkish voters will head to the polls that Sunday to vote on candidates for parliament and the presidency. The election is the first […]

Elections Rule of Law

MENASource

May 29, 2018

The truth about Iraq’s democracy

By Harith Hasan

Some commentators recently celebrated the Iraqi election as a sign that democracy is taking root in Iraq’s soil. This optimistic view is justified given the bleak situation of democratic transformation in the region. Authoritarianism in the Middle East persists as the common model of governing, even in countries that witnessed popular uprisings and demands for […]

Democratic Transitions Iraq

MENASource

May 24, 2018

Is Tunisia’s glass half empty or half full?

By Karim Mezran & Erin A. Neale

The recent round of elections in Tunisia is further proof of what has been demonstrated across the region and world: that holding elections is not an elixir, but rather a first step upon which to build a strongly rooted democracy.

Democratic Transitions Elections

MENASource

May 21, 2018

Standard Arabic is on the decline: Here’s what’s worrying about that

By Hossam Abouzahr

Many warn that Standard Arabic, or Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), is on the decline, and some are happy to see it go. However, it is important to note the factors driving this decline, and what this means for the region. Arabs often see MSA’s decline as the failure of their nations to uphold the legacy […]

Middle East

MENASource

May 16, 2018

Iraq: The reinvention of Muqtada al-Sadr

By Dr. Nabeel Khoury

Muqtada al-Sadr—often dubbed a firebrand cleric—has come a long way from the days in 2003 when he was an outcast and a hunted man, to the victor in the 2018 Iraqi elections. Early results suggesting a surprising lead for Sadr are a personal vindication for him, certainly, but a challenge for Iraq’s political elite which […]

Democratic Transitions Elections

MENASource

May 11, 2018

Killing the JCPOA: Opportunity missed?

By Frederic C. Hof

As reported previously by this writer, senior Iranian former officials repeatedly told him and other Americans in unofficial, track II discussions preceding the nuclear deal, that Iran had no intention of weaponizing nuclear energy. The reason offered had nothing to do with Koranic proscriptions. To paraphrase one of the Iranian ex-officials, “Look at all we […]

Crisis Management Iran

MENASource

May 9, 2018

A renewed opportunity for a US role in Iraq

By Akeel Abbas

The upcoming Iraqi parliamentary election slated for May 12 is significant for many reasons, most notable are the changes to Iraq’s traditional electoral lists. Although these lists are still largely composed along ethno-sectarian lines—whether Shia, Sunni, or Kurdish—differences over policies figure more prominently, with a shift away from an exclusive focus on identity present in […]

Iraq

MENASource

May 9, 2018

What can we expect of Iraq’s parliamentary elections?

By MENASource

Iraqis will go to the polls for the first time in four years on May 12. The vote will determine Iraq’s next prime minister at a critical time for the country as it emerges from a three-year war with the Islamic State (ISIS). Will the significant shifts in electoral lists bring about change for the […]

Iraq