From the Decline of the Militia Order to the Uncertain Construction of the State: The Lebanese Hezbollah and the Iraqi Hashd Facing Their Destiny
Before 7 October 2023, the Middle East was characterised by a geopolitical distribution between a Shiite power, Iran, and a Sunni power, Saudi Arabia. This configuration did not aim to redraw the region’s territorial borders, as had been the case in 1916 with the agreements concluded between the British Mark Sykes and the Frenchman Picot, […]
State Control over Pro-Iranian Armed Groups in Iraq in the Post–7 October Regional Context and the Iraqi Electoral Calendar
In a context of growing regional tensions and internal political reconfiguration in Iraq, the question of dismantling Iraqi militias, particularly the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), has emerged as a major strategic issue and has revived the debate over Iraqi state sovereignty. The regional environment in the aftermath of 7 October, marked by a reconfiguration of […]
Kurds and others in the Sunni Republic of Syria
The past several weeks have been eventful in Syria. In a dramatic turn of events, Kurdish self-rule in the country appears to be nearing its end. This raises pressing questions about the nature of the Kurds and their political aspirations. First, it’s important to identify who currently rules Syria. The ruling elites in Damascus since […]
Damascus’s “Victory” but at What Cost?
Since the fall of Syria’s Assad regime in December 2024, the country has entered a new phase of political and military reconfiguration. This period is marked by the gradual expansion of Damascus’s authority over territories that were previously controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are predominantly Kurdish. This phase has been accompanied by […]
Iranian protest: not only against the regime
A new cycle of public demonstrations has emerged in Iran, contributing to an important pattern of recurrent protest waves that have marked and are shaping the country’s recent history. While such social mobilisations tend to appear episodically, each of them is shaped by distinct structural triggers, social configurations and, or, political meanings. The present protest […]