Middle East, the new "Great Game"
Will a divided Middle East become the center of a new “Great Game”? The world’s global powers are aligned in it: the United States, falsely tempted by retraction; Russia, establishing its position in an unexpected state of play, France, destabilized by the contradictions of its own policy… In addition are tussles for regional hegemony between Iran, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.
The map is being radically redrawn around Syria and Iraq, an area which will no doubt play a determinant role in the world’s future.
The European Union is absent once again from the new “Great Game”. The EU is bogged down in its own crises; the assault of all breeds of populism, and fissures reopened by authoritarian shifts in central Europe, constitute the more concerning political signs. Are the members of the European Union the agents of its collapse?
The globalized world is also organized around international commercial negotiations: the global approach of the WTO, regional approaches within areas of free trade, and more plurilateral approaches. Which dynamic will dominate and determine the nature of future systems of exchange?
The Middle East, European crises, international exchanges: Politique étrangère focuses on three dimensions of international disorder for which developments over coming months are likely to play a preponderant role.
FOCUS MIDDLE EAST, A NEW "GREAT GAME"
The Middle East thats awaits for America’s New Administration, by John McLaughlin (read the article)
Russia in the Middle East: Back to a Grand Strategy or Enforcing Multilateralism?, by Ekaterina Stepanova (read the article)
Iran’s Place in the Middle-Eastern Crisis, by Mohammad-Reza Djalili
The Constricted Emancipation of Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Policy, by Louis Blin
Turkey’s Search for a New Position in the Middle East, by Jean Marcou
French Contradictions in the Middle East, by Georges Malbrunot
COUNTER ANALYSIS Populism's Challenge to Europe
Central Europe Authoritarian Challenge, by Georges Mink
The Assault of Extremism, Populism, and Nationalism in Europe, by Jean-Dominique Giuliani
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Hezbollah and the Syrian War, by Matthieu Cimino
TTIP: too Big to Fail?, by Elvire Fabry
Is Commercial Plurilateralism an Opportunity for Developing Countries?, by Michel Dupuy
BAROMETERS
Geopolitics and the Ageing Population, by Gérard-François Dumont
States and National Oil Companies: Phenomena of the Past or Future?, by Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos
South Africa: the Good International Nuclear Citizen?, by Emmanuelle Maitre
BOOK REVIEWS
Directed by Marc Hecker
The Deep State: The Fall of the Constitution and the Rise of a Shadow Government, by Mike Lofgren; America Ascendant. A Revolutionary Nation's Path to Addressing Its Deepest Problems and Leading the 21st Century, by Stanley B. Greenberg, by Laurence Nardon.
This content is available in French: L'éditorial de Politique étrangère, vol. 81, n° 2, printemps 2016.
This content is available in French: Les lectures de Politique étrangère, vol. 81, n° 2, printemps 2016.
This content is available in French: Le dossier de presse de Politique étrangère, vol. 81, n° 2, printemps 2016.
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Turkey/Middle East Program
Ifri's Turkey/Middle East Program aims to provide expertise on the trends and developments in politics, societies and economies across the region.
The programme has the following objectives:
- Proposing a new approach towards the MENA region through an analysis of local, regional, and international dynamics with the potential to guide and influence new policies.
- Highlighting the role of foreign powers which have traditionally been present in the region and analyzing the new role taken on by emerging countries ;
- Anticipating new directions and outlooks in each country.
- Interpreting risks and potentials and putting forward new templates for analysis.
The programme has built a dense network of researchers and experts who provide expertise on the MENA region and working together on a range of crosscutting themes.
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