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Reform in Saudi Arabia
Progress or megalomania?
The crown prince of Saudi Arabia says he wants to fundamentally change his country. But the inexperienced and impulsive young Mohammed bin Salman could quickly find himself in over his head, says Nader Alsarras
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Saudi Arabia′s labour market
Loosing the chains
Scarcely any other country treats native and foreign workers as unequally as Saudi Arabia. With its pronounced disparities between men and women, the labour market also reflects the contradictions within Saudi society. Implementing the initiated reforms will be no small feat. By Nassir Djafari
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Middle East
Ending Iraq′s humanitarian crisis: Trust the people
Provided its leaders correctly reassess the changing regional and domestic dynamics and agree to allow all Iraqis, regardless of their sect and cultural orientation, to choose their own political and civil structure, the country can still overcome the horrors of the past 14 years. Essay by Alon Ben-Meir
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Gulf States
Saudi economic policy: How much reform?
Last year King Salman of Saudi Arabia announced a comprehensive reform programme called “Vision 2030”. Its aim is to prepare the Saudi economy for a future without oil. Whether it will go smoothly is doubtful. By Nassir Djafari
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Iraq
Kurdish referendum for political relevance: Papering over the cracks
The planned independence referendum for the Iraqi region of Kurdistan, argues Denise Natali, not only reflects ongoing tension with Baghdad, but also intra-Kurdish political rivalries that could trigger further conflict
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From El Kamour to Carthage: #We will Not Recoil#
Rebels with a cause
Regarded since the Arab Spring as the one country that successfully transitioned from dictatorship to democracy, Tunisia is now feeling the consequences of a failure to invest in its people and its economy. The fact that the system is still riddled with corruption simply adds more grist to the people′s mill. By Houda Mzioudet
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Saudi domestic policy
Salman the Powerful
The power concentration of recent years continues in Saudi Arabia. The winner is the Salman branch of the royal family, which is systematically extending its political influence. But bearing in mind the planned economic reforms, the family is running a high risk. By Matthias Sailer
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Algerian cartoonists at the cutting edge
Licensed to draw
In a country like Algeria, where press freedoms are restricted, cartoonists with their subtle criticism of the regime often have a far more subversive impact than mere words.
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Algeria′s disillusioned majority
Desperately seeking voters
Algeria's upcoming parliamentary poll is failing to spark the interest of the populace. Few have any hope that the discredited political class will provide solutions to the country′s pervasive social malaise. At the same time, a handful of dedicated civil society campaigns are focusing on initiating change at grassroots level. Sofian Philip Naceur reports from Algiers and Oran
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Unrest in Algeria
Shaking the social foundations
Algeria′s austerity measures are driving protests among its previously acquiescent middle class and the state is hardening its stance against such unrest. An analysis by Idriss Jebari
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Libya, Al Koni and the Skhirat Agreement
A fatal blow
If the Skhirat Agreement (LPA) is not quickly and substantially amended to allow a new executable agreement to be reached, its end will have been written from within its own chapters. By Azza K. Maghur
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Non-fiction: Sebastian Sons′ ″Auf Sand gebaut″
Saudi Arabia – a difficult ally
Saudi Arabia is an important, but controversial partner of western countries. Sebastian Sons, an expert on the country with the DGAP (Germany's Council on Foreign Relations), assesses the country’s mindset, its political problems and how western governments should engage its leaders. By Sabine Balk