Syria is where the Arab Spring really came to grief, and its example is a powerful deterrent to other anti-government movements.
Category: Middle East
End of the Arab Spring, part II: Egypt
Egypt's presidential election looks like a foregone conclusion. It could all have been very different, and therefore so could the Arab Spring.
End of the Arab Spring, part I: Algeria
This disappointed hopes of the Arab Spring were on show in last week's one-sided election in Algeria.
Turkey and Russia: compare and contrast
Turkish local elections give its ruling party a vote of confidence, doing little to allay fears of growing authoritarianism. Vladimir Putin's Russia looks increasingly like a role model.
Election news from around the world
This week in our semi-regular roundup: news from Serbia, Slovakia, El Salvador, Maldives and Algeria.
Update on Israeli electoral “reform”
Israel goes ahead with a modified version of its plan to make life harder for Arab parties.
Egyptians vote yes – without much choice
There's no doubt about the result of Egypt's constitutional referendum, since campaigning for a "No" vote was effectively illegal. But the turnout might tell us something about the underlying level of support for the military.
Death of a warmaker
Ariel Sharon ended his active career by apparently repudiating the things he had previously been most known for. Did he really mean it?
The electoral top ten for 2013
A review of the year's most interesting elections and whether they show us any general trends.
Holiday reading on Middle East peace
Just as the Palestinians indicate some new flexibility about the direction of Mid-East peace talks, a study on public opinion shows both sides ready for serious compromise.
