In the 2019 presidential elections, many Tunisians turned to Kaïs Saïed as a solution. Saïed ran a populist campaign as a political outsider, calling for ending corruption and reforms to the electoral system. In the final round of voting, he captured nearly three-quarters of the vote for an overwhelming victory and strong electoral mandate. In July 2021, Saïed dismissed the…
Migration
Fighting racism in Tunisia 1 bag of groceries at a time
Ordinary Tunisians are volunteering to help sub-Saharan African residents who are being persecuted. They say the issues behind the current crisis — racism and migration — should have been tackled long ago. In a cobbled lane in the Tunisian capital, canvas has been fixed to the white walls of a nearby garden to form shelters. Here and there, you also…
Kuwait Country Report 2022
How Kuwaitis View Domestic Challenges, Social Issues, and Political Reform. There is a clear sense of dissatisfaction with public education policies and anti-corruption measures.
Morocco Country Report 2021-2022
Since the pandemic hit Morocco in March 2020, the country has been facing crises on multiple fronts, including the public health crisis, the economic crisis, inflation, and the historic drought. Internationally, Morocco made several diplomatic gains in the wake of the United States’ recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. In an historic reversal of its previous stance, Spain declared…
Tunisians Emigrate in Record Numbers as Hopes Fade for Its Economy, Democracy
They once believed that the Arab Spring would yield stability, but Tunisians are now fleeing their home country in droves TUNIS, Tunisia—Record numbers of Tunisians are leaving the country after a decade of economic turmoil and the government’s turn toward authoritarianism, dimming hopes that a younger generation can build a future in the nation that sparked the Arab Spring. The flood of Tunisian émigrés…
Jordan has a plan to retain nation’s youth – can they sell it?
All Anas Atef wants is to open a restaurant and live next door to his parents. His family has other plans for the 22-year-old college student: leave the country. “The last thing I want to do is leave my family and community behind, although they are all telling me to leave,” Mr. Atef says. “I’m defying them and staying. But…
Public Opinion in Lebanon 2021-2022
Key Findings From Arab Barometer Wave Seven: Trust in political actors is extremely low and has fallen over the last decade with the notable exception of the LAF. The economy & corruption are seen as the country’s biggest problems while there is wide concern about growing inequality. Lebanese want the government to lower the cost of living, create jobs, &…
After Lebanon’s Collapse, Can an Election Fix the Country?
BEIRUT, Lebanon — After years abroad working as a school administrator, Anahid Jobanian returned to Lebanon to live off her savings for a simple retirement. But that plan fell apart as the country collapsed. Lebanon’s banks imploded, wiping out her savings. Prices for nearly everything soared, leaving her struggling to afford her heart and diabetes medications. And since the state…
Lebanon goes to the polls amid its worst ever financial crisis
The system is still rigged in favour of corrupt incumbents against a divided opposition One way to predict the future in Lebanon is to look at election billboards and imagine the opposite. The last time voters chose a parliament, in 2018, roads across the country were lined with cheery messages. “Our port will come”, read one, referring to a tourist…
Shifting Political, Economic and Social Trends in MENA Post-Covid19
Join Dr. Sahar Khamis and her two guests, Dr. Abdul-Wahab Kayyali and Ms. Salma Al-Shami, in her program “The Bridge” this Friday, June 25th, from 8 to 9 a.m. (EST), LIVE on “U.S. Arab Radio” and Facebook simultaneously, as they discuss a very timely and important topic, namely: the shifts in the political, economic, social and media landscapes in the MENA region (Middle East…