Although elections have been held and constitutional reforms are moving forward in Arab transition states, many tribal and ethnic minority communities remain outside the political process.
Islamists’ ambivalence about the foundations and content of human rights has translated into constitutional and legal practices that endanger the full enjoyment of certain universal human rights in the emerging regimes in Egypt and Tunisia.
The interplay of various regional factors can be expected to evolve and ultimately weaken Iran’s regional position in the coming years.
The uprisings that started in the Arab world in 2011 are a welcome event. Nevertheless their evolution and consequences will require serious analysis. While it is legitimate to show satisfaction at the removal of authoritarian leaders and dictators and their replacement with more open political systems, this does not mean that the sudden shift that has occurred at the national and regional political level should be supported without nuance.
Eighteen months after the beginning of the popular uprisings, the Arab world continues to oscillate between hope and fragility. In this collection of essays, FRIDE’s Middle East team aims to link together different parts of the policy puzzle.
President Morsi’s sudden removal of his military rivals for the first time enables the government to establish democratic civilian rule over the military – if it wants to. This policy brief examines the most urgent challenges to Egypt’s civil-military relations in the light of the recent events.