Tunisia: The populist drift of Saied and the looming socioeconomic crisis

New Atlanticist Mar 18, 2025

The Gaza cease-fire is over. What’s next from Israel, Hamas, and the US?

By Atlantic Council experts

In the early hours of March 18, Israel launched air strikes on Gaza, ending the two-month cease-fire. Atlantic Council experts answer pressing questions about the resumed conflict.
Conflict Israel
Tunisia: The populist drift of Saied and the looming socioeconomic crisis

New Atlanticist Mar 17, 2025

Enough carrots for Putin. For better negotiations, serve ‘maximum pressure’ instead.

By Benjamin L. Schmitt, Richard L. Morningstar, and Daniel Fried

Since Russia appears content for negotiations to move slowly, the Trump administration should turn up the pressure with new sanctions.
Conflict Economic Sanctions
Tunisia: The populist drift of Saied and the looming socioeconomic crisis

Issue Brief Mar 13, 2025

Present without impact? How the Middle East perceives China’s diplomatic engagement

By Jonathan Fulton

Despite economic advancements and high-profile diplomatic engagements, China’s influence remains largely economic rather than political, Jonathan Fulton argues.
China Economy & Business

Content

Report

Oct 7, 2022

Tunisia: The populist drift of Saied and the looming socioeconomic crisis

By Alessia Melcangi

Even before the conflict in Ukraine, the liberal state model looked much less attractive for the broader Middle East region than it had only a decade earlier, at the height of the Arab Spring.

Middle East North Africa

Report

Oct 7, 2022

Boom and bust: Can Algeria break the cycles of its past?

By Andrew G. Farrand

In dire straits just a year ago, Algeria’s leaders show a new swagger today that might suggest the country has turned a corner.

Middle East North Africa

Report

Oct 7, 2022

The GCC in the global power cycle: The reform-security nexus

By Eleonora Ardemagni

On reforms and good governance, the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have little to worry about in the current global power cycle, which is shaping an order definitely less Western-centred, and more Eastern-oriented, if compared with the 2010s. National economic goals, rather than foreign policy alliances, traditionally drive top-down reforms in GCC states, including  those with an impact on social and individual freedoms.

Middle East North Africa

Report

Oct 7, 2022

Egypt’s “new” capital: Reshaping the future to erase the past

By Hafsa Halawa

In recent years, Egypt has fallen into resignation of its social, economic, and political trajectory.

Middle East North Africa

Report

Oct 7, 2022

The MENA region’s uneasy path towards reforms

By Karim Mezran, Valeria Talbot, Alissa Pavia, Lorenzo Fruganti, Eleonora Ardemagni, Andrew Farrand, Alessia Melcangi and Hafsa Halawa

Decade-old geopolitical transformations have impacted the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) states’ efforts to implement socioeconomic reforms. More recently, the Ukraine war’s reverberations are also likely to affect the MENA countries’ paths towards such reforms.

Middle East North Africa

UkraineAlert

Oct 7, 2022

Vladimir Putin has little reason to celebrate on his seventieth birthday

By Peter Dickinson

Vladimir Putin marks his seventieth birthday on October 7 but the Russian ruler has little reason to celebrate as his disastrous Ukraine invasion continues to unravel leaving Russia increasingly internationally isolated.

Central Asia Conflict

AC Selects

Oct 6, 2022

AC Selects: Ukraine’s accession to NATO, ECB President on inflation, US Secretary of Commerce on semiconductors & more

Events from the week of September 26 Last week, we hosted the Frankfurt Forum on US-European GeoEconomics featuring President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde, followed by three AC Front Page events featuring Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and US Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis. Finally, the […]

China Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Oct 6, 2022

Inside the Saudi calculus on oil cuts—and the US response

By Jonathan Panikoff

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's transactional approach carries risks when it comes to US strategic posture in the region.

Geopolitics & Energy Security Middle East

In the News

Oct 6, 2022

Sakhi in IPRA Peace Search: What the historic women’s uprising in Iran teaches us about resisting authoritarianism

By Atlantic Council

Iran Politics & Diplomacy

IranSource

Oct 6, 2022

The institutional roots of Iran’s protests

By Javad Heiran-Nia

The Islamic Republic has alienated many Iranians and, without a thriving civil society, is contributing to the rising rhythm of protests within Iran.

Civil Society Iran
Load More

Experts

Fellow

Jeffrey Hovenier

Nonresident senior fellow

Europe Center

Croatian Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Fabio Petito

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Freedom and Prosperity Human Rights

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Leon Leskovec

Head of Cabinet for Karlo Ressler, Member of the European Parliament

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Politics & Diplomacy

Fellow

Laura Updegrove

Nonresident Senior Fellow, GeoStrategy Initiative

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Lukasz Lisicki

Policy Assistant to the Director-General for Energy, European Commission

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Energy & Environment

Fellow

Rza Aliyev

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Azerbaijani Central Asia
Load More

Events

Public Event Wed, May 7, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Taking stock: Bilateral ties after 100 days of the Trump administration
Economy & Business International Markets Latin America Mexico
Online Event Tue, May 13, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Rethinking US policy options in Afghanistan
Afghanistan Economy & Business Human Rights Politics & Diplomacy
Online Event Fri, May 16, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Lucian Kim on “Putin’s Revenge” and Russia’s war on Ukraine
Europe & Eurasia Human Rights Politics & Diplomacy Ukraine