Nawaz And The Islamist Gauntlet
There are many reasons to be sceptical about the Prime Minister’s capacity to deliver on his promises to Pakistanis and India, but his victory offers hope. Read Here – The Hindu
Tag: Elections
Why Germans Are Shocked by Angela Merkel’s Communist Past
With a general election approaching in Germany this fall, Angela Merkel finds herself mired in a scandal about her communist upbringing. The belated reckoning with Merkel’s past reveals little about the chancellor’s political sympathies — and plenty about the German public’s historical ignorance. Read Here – Foreign Affairs
Why Are Iranians Excited To Vote?
The paradoxical nature of politics in the Islamic Republic of Iran has been on full display in this short campaign season for the presidency. As plenty of commentators — both in the Iranian and Western media — have pointed out, much of the action took place before the race was officially under way. This week, […]
Saying Goodbye
Is it time to write the political obituary of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose second and final term in office as the President of Iran is coming to an end in a few weeks? Not necessarily. But it is time to take stock of the man and his eight-year presidency. All the more so because he is […]
Numbers And Politics
Numbers are important in explaining political issues and interpreting election results but they are rarely used to identify a person’s political affiliation, much less a person’s religion. In Southeast Asia, however, where numerology has retained its appeal among the masses, numbers are increasingly being used by politicians and religious leaders in support of a particular […]
Egypt’s Mursi Misses The Bus
It seems unlikely that Egypt’s President Mohammad Mursi has read Thucydides’ famous record of the great Athenian politician Pericles’ speech when he describes democracy as the system of government that acts for the many and not the few, gives equal justice to all and regards merit as the sole criterion for office — and he […]
In Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif 3.0
The high turnout for the recent general election indicates that the Pakistani public is warming up to democracy. But participation is a double-edged sword: by virtue of having had its voice heard, the public now has heightened expectations of government performance. If Sharif fails to deliver, public disaffection could set in rather quickly and powerfully. […]
Russia And The Next 10 Years
Analysts have been releasing various scenarios of how Russia might develop over the next 10 years. Although each scenario is different, they all have some features in common. Below is a list of the commonalities that form a picture of what awaits Russia over the next decade. The first in a series of possible junctures emerged with the presidential election last year. Following his successful bid for the presidency, Vladimir […]
Nawaz Sharif And His Love For India
The message to my friends in India that we have a lot of love and affection for you all. We must become good friends and hold each other’s hands … let us make a new beginning, let us sit down together and let us resolve that we will from now onwards resolve all our outstanding […]
The Road Ahead For Pakistan
The rise of Sharif’s Muslim League is a golden opportunity for a civilian government to build consensus with other political parties and wrest control of domestic, foreign and security policy from the military. Read Here – Gulf News
looking beyond borders 