Arab & Islamic Politics

In this chapter from the Jihadist Governance and Statecraft compilation, Mattew Levitt examines how Hezbollah exercises authority from outside the halls of formal state power.

Despite missing many past opportunities for low-cost diplomatic action, Washington can still do much to counter Russia’s deepening presence in Libya and Africa.

Three experts discuss the domestic and foreign implications of Masoud Pezeshkian’s presidential election victory—including the need to temper any expectations that he is able or willing to pursue substantial change.

The U.S. ambassador to Tunisia joins three Washington Institute experts to discuss the evolution of great power competition in North Africa.

Allowing a runoff in the presidential election is a somewhat risky move for the Supreme Leader, but engineering a one-round outcome would raise domestic problems of its own.

Most Lebanese Sunnis have resisted the MB’s mobilization so far, but this sentiment could shift quickly due to pressures from the Gaza war, the economic crisis, the local political vacuum, and the inroads being made by Hamas and Hezbollah.

An opaque process and an apathetic electorate are among the reasons the contest does not warrant U.S. scrutiny.

Tehran and its proxies have been doing everything they can to destabilize Jordan during the Gaza war, from inciting protests and increasing drug and weapons smuggling to escalating armed threats from Iraq.

By recognizing the limits of electoral processes in countries like Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia, Washington can focus more on addressing economic, social, and institutional challenges, managing regional dynamics, and engaging strategically with global competitors.