Democracy & Reform

Policy Analysis on Democracy & Reform

People look at the list of missing people, in the aftermath of the floods in Derna, Libya - source: Reuters

Libya Floods: As Families Search for Loved Ones, Politicians Trade Blame

Derna’s future and Libya’s broader political fate will be determined by the race for recovery and the battle of narratives over who is responsible for the tragedy.

Sep 14, 2023

◆

Ben Fishman

Twitter photo showing an Iranian woman standing on top of a car during a protest against the killing of Mahsa Amini.

Video

Brief Analysis

Woman, Life, Freedom: Iran’s Mass Protest Movement, One Year On

A Conversation with Masih Alinejad

A leading activist discusses the protests and the international response on the anniversary of the movement’s outbreak.

Sep 12, 2023

◆

Masih Alinejad

Protesting Syrians in the town of Suwayda hold signs and Druze flags - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Syria’s New Protests Highlight Vulnerabilities in Assad’s Minority Base

Growing unrest in Suwayda and other traditionally loyal areas may help force Assad’s hand on longstanding local, U.S., and allied demands.

Sep 8, 2023

◆

Erik Yavorsky

Moviegoers look at posters and showtimes at a theater in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in August 2023, including the global hit "Barbie" - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Barbie in the Middle East

Some countries banned the film while others let it screen amid restrictions and criticism, illustrating the region’s widening—but still comparably narrow—spectrum of views on cultural openness.

Sep 8, 2023

◆

Anna Brown

Oslo handshake: Yitzhak Rabin, Bill Clinton, Yasser Arafat

In-Depth Reports

The Palestinian Authority Thirty Years After Oslo

Deep systemic reforms and a credible successor to Mahmoud Abbas could help secure Palestinian as well as Israeli interests.

Sep 5, 2023

◆

Neomi Neumann

◆ Oslo at 30

Promotional snapshot of 2022-23 Tunisia timeline.

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Tunisia Timeline: Key Developments and U.S. Responses Since July 2022

Download this chronological graphic showing how President Saied has continued his crackdown and consolidation of power despite Washington's efforts to steer the country back onto the democratic track.

Sep 5, 2023

◆

Frances McDonough

Israeli PM Yitzakh Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat shake hands

Fikra Forum

The Oslo Accords Held Promise; Extremists Derailed Them

As we look back at the legacy of the accords, it is not the Oslo Accords that failed us, but Israelis and Palestinians who failed Oslo.

Sep 1, 2023

◆

Mohammed Dajani

◆ Oslo at 30

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, casts his vote for president

Brief Analysis

The 2024 Election Cycle Starts in Iran

Upcoming votes pose a dilemma for the Supreme Leader: should he aggressively disqualify candidates and further alienate the public, or risk a Majlis dominated by his political rivals?

Aug 18, 2023

◆

Omer Carmi

A United States Air Force trainer works with soldiers of the Nigerian Armed Forces - source: U.S. government

Brief Analysis

Niger Coup Threatens U.S. Strategy on Counterterrorism and Russia

An entrenched military junta could jeopardize America’s primary CT partner in West Africa, create ripple effects for security beyond the Sahel, and give Russia’s Wagner Group a new opening on the continent.

Aug 16, 2023

◆

Ben Fishman
Anna Borshchevskaya
Aaron Y. Zelin

Brief Analysis

Firing PA Governors: Precursor to Change or Internal Power Play?

Although Abbas’s latest edict might hold consequences for Fatah politics, the PA’s public standing, and West Bank militancy, a measure of skepticism about its significance is warranted.

Aug 10, 2023

◆

Ghaith al-Omari

Fires burn after the August 2020 port explosion in Beirut - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Lebanon’s Port Risks: The Need for Action Against Substandard Ships

On the anniversary of the 2020 Beirut explosion, Lebanese authorities have done nothing to decrease the risks posed by deficient vessels like the one implicated in the port disaster.

Aug 9, 2023

◆

Noam Raydan

Fikra Forum

Iraqi Kurds Face Legitimacy Issues Amid Election Deadlock and Internal Division

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) has been heading for unprecedented political and financial uncertainties as a result of the growing disputes between the two ruling parties and the central government’s moves to erode the KRI’s autonomous status.

Aug 7, 2023

◆

Bekir Aydoğan

Lebanese protesters demonstrate against central bank official Riad Salameh in Tyre in 2019 - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

Lebanon Is a Global Sanctuary for Criminals

Even if much-needed prosecutions against Hezbollah members are deemed too dangerous at present, donors must still pressure Beirut to extradite other individuals charged with crimes abroad, starting with banking official Riad Salameh.

Aug 2, 2023

◆

David Schenker

A Beirut money changer handles Lebanese pound and U.S. dollar notes - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

Economic and Security Conditions in Lebanon

Lebanon’s current problems stem from persistent economic and political corruption, and Hezbollah remains the de facto enforcer of this mafia-like status quo.

Jul 2023

◆

Matthew Levitt

Then Vice President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in 2010 - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

Why I Think President Biden Erred by Wading Into Israel’s Domestic Crisis

The history is clear—well-intentioned intervention in an ally’s domestic politics often triggers bigger problems, and the president’s stance could conjure a self-fulfilling prophecy about the erosion of U.S.-Israel ties.

Jul 29, 2023

◆

Robert Satloff

Photo of Israelis in Tel Aviv protesting proposed judiciary changes, February 2023.

Fikra Forum

Israel and Algeria: Protests, Politics, and Colonialism

Exploring the parallels in the Israeli and Algerian experiences provides insight into the future of democracy in both countries.

Jul 28, 2023

◆

Bruce Maddy-Weitzman

A Sudanese protester against military rule

Video

Brief Analysis

Sudan's Civil War: Mediation Challenges and the U.S. Role

Three experts assess the conflict’s effects on regional humanitarian and security issues, outlining the requirements for a durable ceasefire.

Jul 28, 2023

◆

Yasir Zaidan
Reem Abbas
Alex Rondos

Tunisian demonstrators outside the general union building (UGTT), June 2022

Brief Analysis

Did the EU Bail Out Tunisia’s Kais Saied?

Washington may be tempted to defer Tunisia’s problems to Europe, but a new MOU risks perpetuating the country’s economic crisis and worsening the plight of migrants.

Jul 26, 2023

◆

Sabina Henneberg
Ben Fishman

The Israeli Supreme Court in session - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Israel’s New Law Holds Implications for Security and U.S. Relations

A closer look at the domestic dynamics behind the legislature’s vote sheds light on whether and when it might affect Israel’s military readiness and relationship with Washington.

Jul 25, 2023

◆

David Makovsky

A priest leads an Easter mass at the Grand Immaculate Church in Al-Hamdaniya, Iraq, April 9, 2023 - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Blunting the Militia Campaign Against Iraq’s Christian Leaders

A U.S.-sanctioned, Iran-backed militia leader aims to sideline the country’s Chaldean Patriarch and take over billions of dollars’ worth of Christian property.

Jul 25, 2023

◆

Yaqoub Beth-Addai
Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight

Supported by the

Project Fikra: Defeating Extremism through the Power of Ideas

Fikra n. [Arabic] "Idea"

The Washington Institute's Project Fikra is a multiyear program of research, publication, and network-building designed to generate policy ideas for promoting positive change and countering the spread of extremism in the Middle East.

Never miss a breaking event on U.S. policy interests in the Middle East. Customize your subscription to our expert analysis, op-eds, live events, and special reports.