Middle East and North Africa Archives

Analyses

Middle East and North Africa

Donald Trump’s clear-cut victory in the US presidential election has shaken the entire world, and has been greeted with sharply contrasting reactions, especially in Middle East. For Palestinians, it felt like the final nail in the coffin. Hopes for American mediation toward a fair resolution of the conflict are virtually non-existent, and Palestinians view the next four years through a lens of mere survival, trying to withstand the blows from Israel’s most right-wing government in history, which will now feel even freer from burdensome external constraints, such as the call to respect international law.

Political Theory
Tunisia Elections 2024: The Fake Reluctant Autocrat
Ruth Hanau Santini 30 September 2024

Since July 25, 2021, Tunisia has been in a state of self-coup. President Kais Saied, elected two years earlier, suspended parliament that summer, had the prime minister resign, and issued two presidential decrees that consolidated all executive powers in his hands – rather than sharing them with the prime minister, as outlined in the 2014 Constitution.
Political Theory
Tunisia: Clamping Down on Civil Liberties Ahead of Understated Presidential Elections
Ruth Hanau Santini 24 May 2024

Next autumn Tunisians will go to the polls to elect the President of the Republic. The Election’s date has not been confirmed, and the main opposition coalition, Chebbi’s National Salvation Front, has announced they will boycott the vote unless three conditions will be met: the electoral commission will be independent, the main Islamist party, Ennahda, will be allowed to re-open its headquarters, and all political prisoners will be freed. When Tunisians last voted for presidential elections, all those conditions were in place, but in the past few years, political and civil liberties have shrunk to the extent that the country is not only “partly” free but its democratic ranking continues to deteriorate, year on year.
Society
The Earthquake of Al Haouz: The Difficult Reconstruction of a Tormented Area
Rabii El Gamrani 12 February 2024

One million and six hundred thousand people were affected by the earthquake of September 8, 2023, which caused about 3,000 deaths and the destruction or damage to some 50,000 homes; 60,000 people are still displaced. Journalist Rabii El Gamrani went to Al Haouz, in the heart of the High Atlas, to see how the reconstruction is going.
International Affairs
Houthi Strikes: A Regional Escalation?
An Interview with Hussein Ibish
Giancarlo Bosetti , Alessandra Tommasi 19 January 2024

The war in Gaza has expanded to include a new and dangerous flashpoint: the Red Sea. In recent weeks, Yemen’s Houthis have targeted “Israeli” cargo ships – and attacked others – in support of Hamas. The US and the UK have retaliated by bombing a number of Houthis’ targets in Yemen. ResetDOC interviewed Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, about the stakes for the Houthis and the risks of a wider high-intensity conflict.
Migrations
Stuck in Tunisia. Migrant Plight amid EU Pact’s Failure
Ilaria Romano 30 October 2023

Tunisia faces challenges managing a surge in refugees and migrants, with 11,000 registered by the UNHCR, making it a major departure point for those heading to Europe. The country lacks proper infrastructure for immigration, providing minimal support to registered migrants. The EU signed a Memorandum of Understanding to address the issue, but obstacles and human rights concerns persist, with Tunisia rejecting the first EU aid installment.
Gender, Human Rights
Iranian Women’s Struggle Awarded:
Nobel Peace Prize Goes to Activist Narges Mohammadi
Marina Forti 13 October 2023

The 2023 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Iranian activist Narges Mohammedi, 51, “for her fight against the oppression of women in the country and her struggle to promote human rights and freedom for all.” Mohammedi, who is currently serving a 10-year sentence for “spreading anti-state propaganda” in Tehran’s Evin prison, has campaigned for women’s rights and against the use of the death penalty. Over the lenght of her career, the Iranian regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes.
Migrations
Virtual Racism Against Migrants Surges in the Maghreb
Rabii El Gamrani 5 October 2023

Virtual racism against sub-Saharan migrants is flourishing on social media in the Maghreb region, with groups promoting xenophobia and racist content. Conspiracy theories and fake news contribute to the spread of these narratives, portraying migrants as a demographic threat. However, in real-life interactions, racism appears to be less prevalent, as many Moroccans and sub-Saharans coexist peacefully.
Human Rights, International Affairs
International Academics Call for Ghannouchi’s Release in Tunisia
Alessandra Tommasi 27 September 2023
International Affairs
Tunisia’s Authoritarian Regime in a Game of Political Brinkmanship
Ruth Hanau Santini 11 September 2023

Few commentators make predictions these days about Tunisia, with the exception of its financial resilience deemed to be now overstretched and foreign reserves hardly covering the country’s needs in the autumn. Whether Kais Saied will be able to pull a last minute trick out of the autocratic hat, or whether Tunisia will face a default and financial and social collapse is anyone’s guess.