Democracy & Reform

Executing the president’s ambitious plan will require an army of experts in areas ranging from military command-and-control to community engagement and rehabilitation.

The regime’s attempts to stir up nationalist support and increase its legitimacy postwar are not working—opposition is at a historical high.

After meeting with Sharaa and returning from an extensive research trip in Syria, a Washington Institute expert sheds light on the president’s UN speech, near-term plans, and views on the U.S. role.

Although Tunisia's president maintains an illusion of full control, labor unrest and voter apathy are mounting, making him more dependent on a small and potentially fragile circle of internal security institutions.

New oil, gas, and infrastructure initiatives have continued rolling in since the Trump administration’s removal of sanctions, but they may amount to little in the long term unless more is done to build Syria’s own capacity, tamp down on political tensions, and address bureaucratic confusion.

American assistance to the Middle East apparently won’t be cut back as drastically as the Trump administration hoped, but questions abound regarding the diluted department’s capacity to actually use the restored funds effectively.

The high-level Saudi delegation to a Damascus investment conference indicates Riyadh is betting on President Sharaa.

A Syrian official and a panel of experts debate the response to recent sectarian bloodshed in the south, including what must be done to protect minorities and pursue true transitional justice post-Assad.

Washington should help Algiers embrace greater openness, both to promote stability in North Africa and to advance U.S. interests like counterterrorism and economic competition with China.