Syria and the Arab Spring

Current situation and future prospects of the Assad Regime

While Tunisians, Egyptians and Libyans have overthrown their autocratic rulers, the issue of the political survival of Bashar al-Assad, whose regime represents one of the most repressive in the region, remains unsettled. This situation raises the question of how Assad could hold on to power in spite of overt political resistance that lasted over several months. What are similarities, but also differences between the case of Syria and other states of the Arab spring?

Jordan and Climate Change

Effects, Perceptions and Adjustment

Dr. Martin Beck and Léa Collet wrote an article on "Jordan and Climate Change: Effects, Perceptions and Adjustment Measures in Jordan"

DOMINO JORDAN?

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the context of the Tunisian „Jasmine Revolution“ and the Egyptian „March of Millions“

Dr. Martin Beck and Léa Collet wrote an article on "Domino Jordan? The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the context of the Tunisian 'Jasmine Revolution' and the Egyptian 'March of Millions'"

Was folgt nach der Jasmin-Revolution in Tunesien und den Unruhen in Ägypten?

Reaktionen aus dem Nahen Osten

Wie sehen die Regierungen im Nahen Osten die Proteste in Tunesien und Ägypten? Die Mitarbeiter der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung bieten einen Überblick über die Reaktionen aus Israel, den Palästinensischen Autonomiegebieten, Jordanien, dem Iran und den Golf-Staaten.

Jordan Election 2010

In addition to our recently published more detailed report on the election law, Dr. Martin Beck and Léa Collet wrote a short current report on the Jordanian parliamentary election held in Jordan on November 9, 2010.(in German language only)

Jordan's 2010 Election Law:

Democratization or Stagnation?

The Jordanian government recently endorsedby royal decree a temporaryelection law on May 18th, 2010, approximatelysix months after the dissolutionof the 15th Jordanian House ofRepresentatives, in November 2009.The law includes important changesthat guarantee more transparency andintegrity; it will be in effect for the upcominglegislative elections scheduledfor November 9th, 2010. However, significantproposed recommendationssuch as the “National Coalition to Reformthe Legal Framework Governingthe Electoral Process” have not beenincorporated into the new law.

Political Report (in German) on politics in Syria and the situation of its Christian Minority.

Recently, Syria has acted in a flexible, moderate way on the international and regional level. Yet, its internal politics has been characterised by a lack of democratic rights since decades. The Christian minority is exposed to these constraints not more but also not less than other Syrian groups

Iraqi Elections Ahead: The Shi'a-Sunni Factor

Zum schiitisch-sunnitischen Faktor

For the third time since the downfall ofSaddam Hussein’s iron fist rule overIraq, national elections are to be heldon March 7, 2010. This basically positivefinding should, however, not deterfrom the fact that the Iraqi system stillfaces a lot of problems not only interms of security but also on the politicalrealm. As became obvious duringthe campaign period, the deep divisionsbetween Shi’a and Sunni actors are stillunsolved.

Jordan going astray?

Auflösung des Parlamentes und Verschiebung der Neuwahlen führen zur Abwertung Jordaniens im Freedom House Index

The dissolution of parliament and the postponement of the re-election causes the depreciation of Jordan in the Freedom of the World Report 2010.Thitherto Jordan was one of the few Arab countries whose political condition was ranked as at least partly free in 2009. Now Jordan finds itself in the masses of `not free` countries in the Near East.Please find the full article in German on our German webpage.

Lebanon: Ensuring Religious Pluralism

As part of its activities in the area of cultural and religious dialogue the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Office in Amman (KAS) jointly organized with its cooperation partner, the Lebanese Foundation for Permanent Civil Peace (LFPCP) a conference entitled “Religious Pluralism in Lebanon and the Arab World: History, Mutations, and Action Prospects”. The conference took place in the Faculty of Religious Studies at Saint Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon, on October 24 and 25, 2009.