Democracy & Reform

Previous civil war combatants are now fighting a financial and resource war over the country’s vast wealth, but Washington and UNSMIL can still exert more leverage than other players if they so choose.

The regime’s preference for ideological commitment over expertise has compromised its bureaucratic hiring processes and led to massive institutional decay, making it unlikely that the new president will be able to fulfill his campaign promises or otherwise govern effectively.

Groups supported by Iran and the Assad regime have found some local traction due in part to grievances against the Kurdish-led SDF’s governance strategy in Arab tribal areas.

In this chapter from the Jihadist Governance and Statecraft compilation, Devorah Margolin explores how Hamas has balanced the contradictions between the demands of governance and of continued terrorist operations.

In this chapter from the Jihadist Governance and Statecraft compilation, Michael Knights explores the scope and nature of jihadist governance in Iraq.

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.

If the PA leadership collapses under the weight of Israeli pressure and West Bank deterioration, the result could be a destabilizing reset in the Palestinian arena and a postwar void in Gaza.

The numbers reflect backlash against the Palestinian Authority, which many see as corrupt, illegitimate, and unable to provide a path toward independence—though the alternative would be worse.

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