Two decades after the US waged war on Iraq, the political demands and aspirations of the Iraqi people remain unfulfilled under a political system that was designed to fail The US invasion of Iraq succeeded in toppling the Baathist regime of President Saddam Hussein, but 20 years on, it clearly failed to achieve its proclaimed goal of bringing freedom, security, democracy, and prosperity to Iraq and its…
Political Systems
Kuwait Country Report 2022
How Kuwaitis View Domestic Challenges, Social Issues, and Political Reform. There is a clear sense of dissatisfaction with public education policies and anti-corruption measures.
Public Opinion in Lebanon 2021-2022
Key Findings From Arab Barometer Wave Seven: Trust in political actors is extremely low and has fallen over the last decade with the notable exception of the LAF. The economy & corruption are seen as the country’s biggest problems while there is wide concern about growing inequality. Lebanese want the government to lower the cost of living, create jobs, &…
Why Democracy Stalled in the Middle East?
In 2011, citizens across the Middle East took to the streets to demand more representative governments, social justice, and economic reforms. In Egypt and Tunisia, protest movements toppled dictators who had ruled for decades; authoritarian regimes elsewhere in the region were rattled as never before. The Arab Spring captured imaginations around the world and challenged long-held assumptions about the region’s…
Kais Saied plans to transform Tunisia. It may go bust first
The president rules by decree as the economy seizes up Before he sent a tank to bar the doors of parliament, Kais Saied was a law professor who preached fealty to the constitution. It may seem a contradiction, but contradictions helped propel Mr Saied (pictured) to the Tunisian presidency in 2019. He was a populist with a patrician manner, a…
As Tunisia risks losing its democracy, the US takes a ‘wait and see’ approach
As Tunisia risks losing its democracy, the US is expressing concern about the country’s stability and political institutions but not taking any specific actions yet. It all depends on how things evolve in the coming days, writes Brooke Anderson. Over the weekend, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with Tunisian President Kais Saied to express his support for the…