Issue 3: November 2021

NOVEMBER 2021

ISSUE NO 3

The New Tunisian Prime Minister

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons and Getty Images

A Harbinger of Progress or a Veil for Democratic Deterioration Tunisian President Kais Saied, amidst his political venture involving parliamentary suspension and constitutional confusion (see our September Edition), appointed the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s first woman Prime Minister, Najla Bouden Romdhane. Prime Minister Romdhane, once a geology professor,

previously served as the director-general of the Ministry of Education.

Doubts have been raised concerning the constitutionality of President Saied’s temporary consolidation of power and decision to initiate a process for amending the 2014 Constitution, particularly as the Tunisian government

has yet to establish its Constitutional Court.

Article 120 of the 2014 Constitution stipulates that the Constitutional Court “is the sole body competent to oversee the constitutionality” of legislation severely.

This severely limits the potential for any objective evaluation of Saied’s future legislative agenda upon the resumption

Organized Crime, Migration, Prostitution: a hidden link or an obvious collaboration?

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

When it comes to organized crime – or mafia – and migration, it is commonly known that there is a hidden yet indissoluble connection between the two. What is the extent of the link between migration and organized crime?

How can the phenomenon be explained? What are the different fields affected by this phenomenon? continued on page 8 Greta Murgia, guest reporter

Squid Game Review

of parliamentary proPhoto courcedure. Moreover, antesy of alysts have indicated Creative Commons that Saied is looking to expand executive power by “readapting the 1959 Scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, you have probably seen Constitution.” trends of people trying to cut umbrellas or triangles out of cookies read more on page 3 with needles, along with other Squid Game-related content.

Luca Utterwulghe, staff reporter continued on page 16 Leila O’Rourke, guest reporter

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The Menton Times

The Menton Times Staff Editor-in-Chief

Celeste Abourjeili

Menton Policy Review President

Florian Heydecker Copy Chief

Nouha el Mouzdahir Head of Design

Ada Baser

NOVEMBER 2021

Table of Contents News 3

Tunisian Prime Minister

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Facebook Whistleblower

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Pandora Papers

8

Mafia, Immigration, Prostitution

Marketing Team

Lenora Dsouza Viola Luraschi

Section Editors

Bechar Benmoumen Ayse Lara Selçuker

Head of Photographers

Hugo Lagergren Photographers

Wang Di Charlotte Howden Emilia Kohlmeyer Staff Reporters

Saoirse Aherne Margherita Cordellini Cameron Sterling Hugo Lagergren Luca Utterwulghe* Lara Nour Walton Guest Reporters

Greta Murgia Nour Cherif Leila O’Rourke Joudi Arafa Salim Ouaritini

Editorial 10

The Case of Domenico Lucano

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G20 Summit

14

Silencing and Disappearance of Peng Shuai

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Tunisia Arts and Entertainment

18

Squid Game Review

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Bab el Hadid Review

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Critique du Film: Incendies Sports

21

Sports as a Way of Life MENA

24

Jordan-Israel Water Deal

26

Vaccination in Turkish Prisons

28

Protests in Sudan

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Qatari Elections

The New Tunisian Prime Minister

NOVEMBER 2021

A Harbinger of Progress or a Veil for Democratic Deterioration?

Concerns about the unconstitutionality of Saied’s actions, and a shift to a strongman form of government, have only grown as analysts question why Saied appointed Prime Minister Romdhane, an official with minimal government experience.

A major question has surfaced in light of Saeid’s decree of temporary presidential authority over the Constitution and legislation: What is the extent of Prime Minister Romdhane’s actual power, and thus Saied’s true intentions in appointing Romdhane? NPR notes that Romdhane’s “appointment appears to be aimed at placating critics of Saied,” while others applaud Romdhane’s selection as a victory for Tunisian women.

As these developments are quite new, it is difficult to gauge Tunisian public opinion on the question of Saied’s intentions, or on the appointment of Prime Minister Romdhane. I spoke with a Tunisian student on the Sciences Po Menton campus to better understand the youth sentiment regarding Romdhane’s recent appointment.

Amira Zargouni, a first year French Track student, said

she was “instantly relieved” when Kais Saied selected a new head of government, “before even thinking about who it would be.”

Zargouni’s relief that Saied “did what he said he would do” signifies the fragility of the Tunisian political system at the moment, for it seems that the future of the nation lies in Saied’s hands.

Furthermore, Zargouni indicated that she “knew Kais Saied wouldn’t choose [a PM] from Ennahdha [a moderate Islamist political party] nor from the PDL [Partie Destourien Libre].” Saied and his supporters staunchly oppose Ennahdha, and this tension will continue to play out as Saied finalizes his plans for a “new” government structure. The PDL,

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by Luca Utterwulghe Staff Reporter

Amira Zargouni further explained how she “felt proud because of what [Prime Minister Romdhane] represents in terms of gender equality improvement;” however, Zargouni also expressed that “we [Tunisians] don’t know her, and we didn’t know Kais Saied when he was elected.” headed by Abir Moussi, is based on the principles of Dictator Ben Ali’s Rassemblement Constitutionnel Démocratique (RCD) party. Zargouni believes that Saied’s choice of a Prime Minister from either Ennahdha or the PDL would signal a “‘go back’ move” that she could not withstand.

Thus, while Saied’s intentions are not exactly clear, he followed through on his initial promise of appointing a head of government, thereby settling some of the brewing insecurity among Tunisians who fear a threat to the country’s democratic institutions.

[Prime Minister Romdhane] represents in terms of gender equality improvement;” however, Zargouni also expressed that “we [Tunisians] don’t know her, and we didn’t know Kais Saied when he was elected.” Both figures are quite mysterious, which, as Zargouni said, “can’t be good [as] democracy comes with transparency.” Notwithstanding this limitation, Zargouni remarked that “it’s reassuring to know that she’s [Romdhane] a ‘technocrate’ because… the country needs to be lead by an élite at first in order to get Tunisia back on her feet.”

Zargouni further explained how she “felt proud because of what

The way in which we digest and perceive Rhomadane’s appointment and Saied’s decisions seem to depend on the robustness of our optimism for Tunisia’s future. While some may view Romdhane’s appointment as a political strategy used by Saeid to assuage the fears of critics, others see it as victory for gender parity and a chance to recalibrate Tunisia’s political trajectory toward a well-functioning government.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

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NOVEMBER 2021

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Reckoning: Revelations from Frances Haugen’s Senate Testimony Whistleblower Frances Haugen’s twitter leak and recent testimony to the U.S. senate have sparked motions to regulate the social media giant.

by Saoirse Aherne Staff Reporter Former Facebook employee Frances Haugen left the company in May of 2021. She subsequently handed over thousands of pages of incriminating internal documents which she had collected during her time at Facebook to The Wall Street Journal. On September 13 of 2021, the Journal rolled out “The Facebook Files:” a collection of 11 major articles detailing the contents

of Haugen’s leak. On October 5, Haugen testified before a United States Senate committee on commerce, science, and transportation, and asserted that Facebook harms children, sows division and undermines democracy in pursuit of “astronomical profits.”

“This leak may inspire other whistleblowers to come forward.”

Who is Frances Haugen?

Haugen is a 37-year-old computer science and Harvard Business School graduate. She has worked for Google and Pinterest, and co-founded the dating app Hinge.

Haugen Began working for Facebook as a product manager in 2019, just three years after the

Cambridge Analytica scandal when Facebook allowed the British consulting firm to collect data from millions of users without their consent for use in political campaigns. In light of Facebook’s reputation at the time, Haugen reportedly aspired to change the company from the inside.

After two years at Facebook, Haugen felt her goal to rectify

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NOVEMBER 2021 the ethical issues in the company was going nowhere. She came to realize that Facebook was aware of the harm of its products and was intentionally concealing this knowledge from users and investors. Haugen began to collect evidence through Facebook’s internal social network: Workplace.

Employees share product research and discuss company strategy on this platform, thus making confidential information available to all company members.

As Haugen encountered documents detailing unethical conduct, she took pictures of them and compiled a collection of evidence which exposed the role of Facebook products in aggravating a number of social and political issues across the globe.

tified a number of key takeaways.

As reported by CNN, the documents show that Facebook was fundamentally unprepared to deal with the January 6 “Stop the Steal” insurrection movement.

This contradicts Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, who stated that the company “took down QAnon, Proud Boys, Stop the Steal, anything that was talking about possible violence” in the weeks before

grief cycle.” In response to this, the document said that the company must “engage at each step of the social comparison journey by creating targeted product interventions.” The documents noted that “mental health outcomes related to [social comparison] can be severe,” acknowledging the role of Instagram in prompting or exacerbating eating disorders, body dysmorphia, body dissatisfaction, depression and loneliness. Another document blatantly stated, “we make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls.”

strategies are not enough.”

The Atlantic reported on another shocking revelation from the documents.

In 2019, a BBC report found that a broad human trafficking network for domestic workers was facilitated by Facebook and Instagram, aided by algorithmically boosted hashtags. The internal documents released by Haugen make clear that this issue was known to Facebook before the BBC inquiry, and that the company only took action when Apple threatened to pull Instagram and Facebook from the App Store.

Speaking to the Observer about her decision to come forward as a whistleblower, Haugen said, “I did what I thought was necessary to save the lives of people, especially in the global South, who I think are being endangered by Facebook’s prioritization of profits over people.”

As reported by CNN, the documents show that Facebook was fundamentally unprepared to deal with the January 6 “Stop the Steal” insurrection movement.

Haugen released the documents with the hope that they might increase public pressure for Facebook to change. Haugen underlined that Facebook cares more about profits than public safety in an interview with 60 Minutes in spite of its claim that it does not “build services to make money.”

Haugen has filed a whistleblower complaint with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). If the agency attempts to take civil action against Facebook, Haugen could receive between 10 and 30 percent of any fines Facebook is forced to pay.

What did the documents contain?

Over a dozen news organizations have reviewed the redacted versions of the documents and iden-

the attack on the U.S. capital. In fact, the documents reveal that, leading up to the insurrection, almost all of the fastest growing groups on Facebook were related to the Stop the Steal movement.

One of the leaked documents contains a picture of a table labelled “US2020 Levers, previously rolled back,” referring to the guard rails on misinformation and harmful content that Facebook removed before the 2020 presidential election. It is unclear from public statements why Facebook rolled back these measures, and Haugen asserted that the measures were only reimplemented after the insurrection flared up.

The Washington Post commented on internal documents surrounding body image, teen mental health and appearance-based social comparison on Instagram, a social media network owned by Facebook. One document found that “social comparison is worse on Instagram,” and that “social comparison journeys mimic the

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According to the Atlantic report, the documents show that Facebook has the most harmful impact in vulnerable and unstable areas of the world. Facebook is aware that its products “facilitate hate speech in the Middle East, cartels in Mexico, ethnic cleansing in Ethiopia, extremist anti-Muslim rhetoric in India and sex trafficking in Dubai.” In an internal report from March 2021, Facebook admitted, “we frequently observe highly coordinated intentional activity… by problematic actors:” that is, “particularly prevalent… in At-Risk Countries and Contexts,” yet it stated that “current mitigation

An internal Facebook report from the winter of 2020 found that only 6 percent of Arabic-language hate content on Instagram was detected by Facebook’s systems. According to the documents, only 13 percent of Facebook’s misinformation-moderation staff hours were devoted to non-U.S. countries in spite of the fact that more than 90 percent of Facebook’s users do not reside in the United States. Despite at least 160 languages being spoken on the platform, Facebook has created AI-detection systems for only a fraction of those languages.

The Senate Hearing On October 5, Haugen testified to a United States Senate committee.

Haugen emphasized that Facebook knows that its algorithm is harmful to users. She stated that Facebook’s advertising-based business model needs people to stay on its platform for as long as possible, and the company exploits negative emotion to accomplish this.

Lawmakers at the hearing were particularly concerned with the impact of Instagram on children.

Subcommittee Chair Richard Blumenthal said, “Facebook exploited teens using powerful algorithms that amplified their insecurities.”

Haugen also spoke to the structural issues faced by the company, stating that, “Facebook is stuck in a cycle where it strug-

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gles to hire. That causes it to understaff projects, which causes scandals, which then makes it harder to hire.” During her time at Facebook, Haugen “worked on the counter-espionage team, and at any given time… could only handle a third of the cases,” due to lack of manpower.

Haugen does not believe Facebook should be broken up, but instead encourages more stringent regulation of the platform.

Chair Blumenthal is discussing the proposal to allow private citizens to sue Facebook and other social media companies for harm caused by their algorithms.

Currently, a law known as Section 230 immunizes social media companies from being sued over what users post, however Blumenthal is interested in “curtailing that legal shield and immunity so as to give victims… some recourse.”

the substantive points shared at the hearing.”

Going Forward This leak may inspire other whistleblowers to come forward. According to Haugen’s legal team, inquiries from other potential whistleblowers have been raised, and another SEC complaint was filed in October.

Sources: https://www.france24.com/en/livenews/20211113-facebook-whistlebloweri-want-to-start-a-youth-movement https://www.france24.com/en/ live-news/20211103-facebook-whistleblower-sits-atop-publicity-juggernaut Frances Haugen: ‘I never wanted to be a whistleblower. But lives were in danger’

Other legislative responses currently being considered include a national privacy law and stronger safeguards for children online.

Lawmakers insist that Haugen’s leak of internal documents and Senate testimony have motivated Capitol Hill to take action against Facebook.

Who Is Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen? What to Know After Her Senate Testimony

In response to the Senate hearing, Facebook spokesman Andy Stone said, “we continue to make significant improvements to tackle misinformation and harmful content.” Stone also questioned Haugen’s credibility on matters pertaining teen mental health, stating that “Frances Haugen did not work on child safety or Instagram, or research these issues, and has no direct knowledge of the topic from her work at Facebook.”

Mental Health Findings

However, Samidh Chakrabati, the former leader of the Civic Integrity Political Misinformation team at Facebook, said on Twitter, “there are countless other integrity professionals with experience on the issues raised today… who similarly agree with

Pandora Papers

NOVEMBER 2021

Facebook’s Documents About Instagram and Teens Teen Girls Body Image and Social Comparison on Instagram

Appearance Based Social Comparison on Instagram How Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen got her documents Facebook whistleblower: Four key takeaways from Frances Haugen’s US Senate hearing How Facebook Failed the World 4 takeaways from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen’s testimony January 6 insurrection and Facebook: Internal docs paint a damning picture

x Agora

Everything you need to know about the “biggest ever” leak of off-shore data Making headlines earlier this fall, the Pandora Papers are a leak of nearly 12 million documents which implicate world leaders in legal and illegal tax evasion, hidden wealth, and even cases of money laundering. Despite the massive breadth of the leak, which exposed 330 politicians and indicated over 10 trillion USD in offshore investments and accounts, the Pandora Papers have received little coverage.

This article will cover the most important details of the leak, and feature an interview with Thinking Like a Lawyer professor and legal scholar Daniel Traficonte.

What exactly are the Pandora Papers?

The Pandora Papers are a leak of documents that have been thoroughly investigated by 600 journalists from 117 sources for several months. In the United States, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) was heading the investigation. In the United Kingdom, the initiative was spearheaded by BBC Panorama and the Guardian. The leak included documents, photographs, emails, and spreadsheets amounting to a grand total of 12 million objects. The most

by Celeste Abourjeili Editor-in-Chief significant components of the leak concerned offshore wealth, including offshore investments of 330 politicians.

What does offshore wealth consist of?

Offshore wealth has provided a means for the world’s most affluent people to conceal their assets and minimize taxes. Wealth can be legally concealed when spent or saved in “tax havens,” or nations with low taxation, such as Panama, Dubai, Monaco, Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, and a number of American states.

Investments such as home ownership may be conducted through anonymous companies that conceal their owner’s identity. Some countries do not require the identity of “beneficial owners” of property. In these cases, the beneficial ownership loophole allows owners to legally hide behind false company names. “I think global tax-dodging is a classic case of ‘legalized corruption,’” said Traficonte. He believes that the legality of this kind of tax evasion may be one of the reasons why public reaction following the leak has been low.

“But of course what is ‘legal’ can still be extremely corrupt and harmful to society, and people

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NOVEMBER 2021

shouldn’t lose sight of this distinction,” he said.

What are the implications of the leak?

and undemocratic” in the public eye. Traficonte used the king of Jordan as an example: “[he] doesn’t have to hide the fact that he owns all this luxury real estate in California. The fact that he feels he now has to is pretty interesting.”

With such wide wealth disparity in the status quo, the implications of the leak could have been massive. The leak revealed that many political leaders who claim to support the common people are, in fact, hiding extreme amounts of wealth. This could also have created a public resentment against leaders for their lack of transparency.

The economic implications of the storage of 10 trillion USD in offshore assets is worth considering, as well. “The macroeconomic implication is that so much… global capital that could be used to generate growth, particularly in the sectors that we might think are important (i.e. green and sustainable technologies), is basically sitting idle and collecting rents,” said Traficonte.

Russian president Vladimir Putin was implicated by his associates’ assets in Monaco, including that of a woman with whom he is suspected of having a child. The king of Jordan was found to have used anonymous companies, known as shell companies, to acquire a large number of properties in the United States and abroad.

While there may not be direct repercussions for this hidden use of extravagant wealth, political leaders may face a reputational slap in the face. “Of course, in authoritarian regimes, high profile corruption is nothing new.

But the example of Czech prime minister shows that the differentiation between [authoritarian regimes] and modern, ‘good’ liberal democracies is rather illusory,” said Political Humanities major Stanislaw Naklicki.

Traficonte also pointed to the fact that “global wealth inequality is probably much worse than the official numbers would suggest, since the global ultra-rich are so easily able to hide the true extent of their wealth from official data.” Traficonte also suggested that world leaders may face more pressure to conceal their wealth as this form of private power is becoming “obviously excessive

He also pointed to a theory which suggests that, in the past 40 years, or since the rise of ‘neoliberalism’ in Western states, the economic elite have stopped investing in productive activities (e.g. buying companies or investing in new products). These classic ‘capital’ investments, it seems, have stopped being profitable — or so the elite believes, according to this theory. “These leaks I think could be some confirmation of that view, since what we see here is the ultra-rich just parking their money into real estate, for the most part,” said Traficonte.

What now?

The European Union and the United States, among other governing bodies, have both said that they will respond to the Pandora Papers with new legislation to crack down on methods of tax avoidance. At a glance, legal repercussions and changes in legislation would seem like practical solutions — if they actually happen, that is.

“The ideal solution,” said Traficonte, “would be an international treaty with real “teeth” –– real enforcement mechanisms that force governments to crack down on this kind of activity. The problem is that, if you have any holdouts, those are going to become the new tax havens.” In other words, without a “totally comprehensive international regime,” there will always be other options and methods for people to move and disguise their wealth.

For that reason, Traficonte concluded that this solution seems unlikely.

However, “there is plenty that national governments could do to control capital outflows, if they chose to.” Yet, he believes that more attention and political mobilization on this topic would be needed before serious solutions can be considered. Given the amount of political leaders who were directly involved, it is hard to imagine that such a solution could realistically take place in most states.

Thinking Like a Lawyer Professor Daniel Traficonte comments on the Pandora Papers leak.

Photo courtesy of Daniel Traficonte

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What are some long-term consequences of the Pandora Papers leak?

Considering its size, this leak has received relatively little coverage and attention. The Panama Papers, a similar leak in 2016 of a much smaller size, received a lot more public attention, for instance.

“The Panama Papers were ‘the revelation,’ the first hint which stimulated the instinct that the global financial/political system may be more rotten than previously thought,” said Naklicki.

“Every next leak was… nothing new. I think there is no way the leak will actually change something substantially.”

Traficonte believes that people fail to draw the connection between global stashing of wealth and domestic issues in their everyday lives, and this could be a reason for the low public backlash. However, he told us “the connection is real: this is all money that should be taxed and used for social and public services. I think the media needs to do a better job at pointing out these connections, otherwise people will continue to see this as a distant problem and it’ll just keep blowing over.”

Though there might be some resignations following the leak, Naklicki stipulated that as long as the system remains, such an abuse of power is sure to continue. “History taught us on the example of the Panama Papers that nothing is bound to change… we have gone ‘too deep’ into late capitalism to actually see an alternative.”

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Organized Crime, Migration, Prostitution

NOVEMBER 2021

a Hidden Link or an Obvious Collaboration?

by Greta Murgia Guest Reporter

x Understanding the Mafia

When it comes to organized crime – or mafia – and migration, it is commonly known that there is a hidden yet indissoluble connection between the two. What is the extent of the link between migration and organized crime?

How can the phenomenon be explained? What are the different fields affected by this phenomenon?

From migration to prostitution Migration is one of the most profitable sources of gain for the mafia, since it represents a per-

sistent and flourishing business which involves different agents and actors. Since immigration towards Europe and, more specifically, Italy is constant, the mafia is extremely present, as it is easy for parties practicing organized crime to build connections with Northern Africa’s communities, and play a major role in human trafficking.

What is the extent of the link bewteen migration and organized crime?

How can the phenomenon be explained?

The Juju’s Ceremony – Nigeria and sex trafficking One of the most lucrative aspects of mafia’s business around immigration is prostitution. The main country from which the girls originate is Nigeria: here, major importance is given to the Juju’s ceremony, still quite unknown in Europe, but relevant when it comes to the flow of immigration related to prostitution. Between ages 12 and 17, girls living in the Edo State and the Delta State in Nigeria, and belonging to the Juju religion, go through a cere-

mony led by the town’s priests.

The priests collaborate with the smugglers operating in the region, as well as with “madams” (women, who have been prostitutes themselves), and conduct the ritual to get the girls’ loyalty and full support. This all relies on the power of superstition and religion. The fear that the dead will chase and kill them – or make them crazy – if they ever try to escape from their protectors or refuse to pay a debt makes these girls prisoners of the smugglers and the madams. This is the process that pushes them, consciously or not, towards the world of European prostitution.

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NOVEMBER 2021 Photos courtesy of Understanding the Mafia

Once under the protection of human traffickers, who promise the girls a better future and a good job in what is presented as the “promised land,” there is little chance for the girls to improve their situation or reconquer their lost freedom. Without accessing money nor savings through prostitution, the girls are in the hands of the traffickers, who take them through the exhausting and frequently deadly travel to an unknown land. During this journey, the girls have no way of going back to their hometown nor asking for help. Only once they arrive – if they arrive – to Italy or to the other European countries, they find out they have been lied to: the promised land with the numerous possibilities of success turns out not to be as promised, and the hard reality is that they find themselves alone, in an unknown and often unwelcoming country. Moreover, they have no documents nor knowledge of the language, but they have a debt to the traffickers of about 30,000 euros. They are therefore forced to work for the smugglers who paid for the trip, as well as the food and shelter they are provided with. They are aware that because of their illegal condition they can’t rely on external help and the Juju ceremony makes it unthinkable for them to denounce their protectors. Most of them end up living in buildings usually owned by criminal associations for years, without any real

possibility of change.

The role of SPHR and Caritas in Ventimiglia When SPRH (Sciences Po Refugee Help) goes to Ventimiglia to provide food and support, girls and women are almost never alone: they are accompanied by men who define themselves as cousins, boyfriends or husbands, and the volunteers rarely have the chance of talking to them alone. This is because the protectors know that, being alone, the girls might ask for help, and succeed in getting out of their situation.

Caritas is an organization that takes care of women who are embedded in prostitution. In Ventimiglia, it offers women and their children shelter and food, and provides them with the help they need to get out of their critical situation. No men are allowed in the buildings offered to women by Caritas, and victims slowly gain confidence and find the courage and the mental strength needed to reach the practical independence to get out of their condition. The main criminal organization dealing in the immigrants’ business in Ventimiglia is called ‘Ndrangheta, as Rocco Ciarone states in the essay “Mafie del Nord.”

Non-profit organizations and Law

Another interesting fact is that those who are attempting to make a difference while working on the ground and truly engaging in the cause are volunteer-based non-profit organizations, and not the authorities, the State, nor the police. In fact, the system in France allows immigrant women to ask for citizenship only if they can provide proof of not having been part of the prostitution network – which is, even if true, extremely hard to provide. For this reason, some associations help women in the process by providing them with testimonies attesting that they have never seen them in a prostitutions’ environment. Such organizations are very few and hard to find, and this kind of solution cannot apply to every case and woman: this shows how flawed and desperate for change the system is when it comes to migration policies.

A sense of fear and gratitude Another factor that makes it difficult for women to get out of the prostitution network is a sense of gratitude towards their guardians, even if unjustified and unneeded. The awareness that protectors represent the only option of safety, and the fact that the authority will not help them and could instead work against their situation, pushes the women to contribute to the vicious circle of submission and resignation.

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Organized crime and mafia – denounce or support?

And what is the role played by criminal organizations, and especially by the mafia, in the field?

It is hard to determine, as there are multiple ways for organized crime to profit from immigration – this ranges from prostitution, to the dealing of drugs, to forced labor – and immigrants have no reason nor incentive to denounce such organizations. If they do, they will lose the protection they are being provided with by their smugglers: on the other side, the State will not provide them with help nor support. On the contrary, it will most probably condemn and expel them from the country.

In fact, these women are not only illegal immigrants, but they have also collaborated with the mafia in illegal businesses.

How do we detect the presence of organized crime?

Another factor that makes it difficult to detect the presence of mafia on the territory is its fluidity: especially on the border, migrants move suddenly, and people who are in one place one day, might be hundreds of kilometers away shortly afterwards, complicating the process of detecting how and where organized crime behaves. The problem does not rely on the immigrants themselves, as it is not their wish to become drug dealers or prostitutes, but it lies in the European Union and in states’ inefficient and unsuccessful handling of the immigrants’ crisis. If nations unite themselves in order to find a common and efficient solution, a lot of progress could be made, and such extreme situations would be rarer. Through cooperation, a solution could be possible.

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The case of Domenico Lucano Editorial

NOVEMBER 2021

by Viola Luraschi Staff Reporter

“If humanity and solidarity have become crimes, he’s guilty”

Mimmo Lucano, a mayor facing 13 years and 2 months in prison and 700 thousand euros for his lifelong devotion to the integration of migrants and refugees in the small town of Riace.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Editorial

NOVEMBER 2021

On October 1, Maurizio Zavaglia started a message to his friends with “ti rispondo ora perché non ho più lacrime da cacciare fuori” — I am only answering now because I no longer have any tears in me. This message came following the events that took place in the small town of Riace, a commune of the city of Reggio Calabria, south of Italy.

Since 1998 the community of Riace has been practicing what has come to be called “l’ospitalitá diffusa,” or widespread and spontaneous hospitality. The term describes the system of inclusion and integration that the community has implemented with regards to migrants and refugees; the hosting of families and individuals in the infrastructures available. In fact, one afternoon in 1988, the arrival of a boat overcrowded with Kurdish refugees first mobilized the town. The community made itself available to host the people who had abruptly arrived. For this reason, the concept of hospitality was not seen as a choice but rather as part of daily life in the town of Riace and its neighboring area. This initiative was led by Padre Giancarlo Maria Bregantini, who built all possible housing structures, and allowed Mimmo Lucano to start volunteering as a child.

Zavaglia then refers to the period that followed as a time during which “no ci si é farmati” — they couldn’t stop — and for many years until 2004, they practiced “l’ospitalitá diffusa,” not only through housing but also through craft workshops that gave the refugees and migrants a chance to become involved in the community with a form of employment.

Migrants and refugees were making glass utensils, ceramics, clay and textiles, and people started using Riace as a travel destination, making the town grow in numbers.

In 2004, Riace became part of

the system of accoglienza (hospitality) of the state, the same year Mimmo Lucano became mayor.

Riace experienced a turnaround: it went from a town at a very high risk of being underpopulated, to a town that was full of life. In fact, in Riace and the contouring areas, the ‘ndragheta (organized crime specific to the region of Reggio Calabria), “il malaffare” (ill deal) and violence had been causing young people to flee towards other areas of Italy. As the years passed, more migrants as opposed to refugees started arriving in Riace, and with the integration of young people into the town, the school — previously at risk of being closed — was kept open. Schools and shops became areas of local development.

mo was first arrested, came to a decision in September of this year when the sentence of 13 years and two months, along with 700,000 euros, was announced.

The first degree sentence came as a shock to many as 13 years was seven more than the prosecution had asked for from the court. Judges within Italy have also disagreed with the sentence imposed on Mimmo Lucano, and it is a shared belief that the sentence was too harsh. In fact, the prosecution had asked for seven years less than what was given in the final sentence, creating dispute on the fairness of the judges and the judicial system in Italy.

Journalists, magistrates and the public were all shocked by the sentence awarded. The sentence claimed that Mimmo misused public resources, these resources being 35 euros awarded by the state, daily, per migrant. Mimmo believed this amount to be too much and said that hospitality could have been granted with a lot less money. Therefore, part of this budget was used for projects that he believed would better lead to the inclusion of migrants, including artisanal shops, collection of recycling, and fattorie didattiche, which is an educational program which attempts to promote a connection between the

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year-old an identity card.

Maurizio describes Mimmo as “una persona che ha dedicato la sua vita agli altri, ai piu deboli, a chi non ha voce, a chi arriva dalle guerra, fame, poverta, a chi scappa da situazioni terribili rischiando la loro vita in mare, povera gente,” or a person who has dedicated his life to others, to those weaker, to those who have no voice, to those who come from war, hunger, poverty, to those running from terrible situations risking their life at sea, poor people. To Maurizio, Mimmo is a person who “ha dedicato la sua vita in termini di stabilità del suo nucleo familiare” — has dedicated his life in terms of familial stability. Maurizio says that Mimmo lives a spartanic lifestyle, at the limit of poverty but “é un idealista, una persona che ha sempre inseguito i valori della pace, del’egualianza, lui non ha mai commesso reati; l’unico reato commesso è il reato del’umanita” (he is an idealist, a person who has always followed the values of peace, of equality, he has never committed any crime; the only crime committed is the crime of humanity).

The more Riace became known as “il luogo dell’anima e dello spirito,” or the place of the soul and the spirit, the more the place, which was previously depopulating, had a growing population of young people working for the local economy. For many, Riace stood as a symbol of hope, and potentially a new and improved life. The town became a place that housed more migrants than local citizens, and Maurizio Today, Riace is a community described the older citizens comwhich has been bent but which ing back out onto the streets to wants to react, said Maurizio. sit and interact as a community.

Riace is not to be Statistics showed the rates of rob“Today, Riace is a community which has spoken of in the past beries, and general been bent but which wants to react, said tense, Riace is a part violence to have Maurizio. Riace is not to be spoken of in the of the present and decreased, and the past tense, Riace is a part of the present future. The current word “tranquilitá” and future.” idea that holds the 60 (tranquility) was the people who decided one used by Mauto stay in Riace is that rizio to describe the town. It city and countryside. With this of not letting hope die. Maurizio was not long before Riace had money, an oil sanctuary was also finished the interview with this attracted national attention that, realized, and Maurizio said that, message: “Se l’umanitá e la solaccording to Maurizio, it started “i soldi sono stati usati per inclu- idarietá diventano un reato, lui bothering some because it did dere, no separate” — the money è colpevole” — If humanity and not adhere to the notion that “gli was used to unite, not separate. solidarity have become crimes, immigranti rubano il lavoro,” or Mimmo was also accused of or- he is guilty. that migrants steal jobs; the at- ganizing a marriage of convenitacks against Riace and Mimmo ence between an Italian citizen Lucano began. and a refugee woman in order to help her obtain citizenship.

The judiciary case that has been Furthermore the accusations inongoing since 2016, when Mim- cluded a belief that he gave a four

The G20 Rome Summit: Timid and Vague, but Necessary 12

Editorial

NOVEMBER 2021

If some perceive the summit as outdated and ineffective, they should remind themselves that the alternative would be a policy of speechlessness and pure confrontation.

Photo by Florian Heydecker

by Florian Heydecker Staff Reporter

No fixed deadline to stop CO2 emissions; no roadmap for a global vaccination campaign against COVID-19; aids for the poor countries hit by the ecological change are still only promises. Yet, the alternative to the conference would be a policy of speechlessness and confrontation.

Editorial

NOVEMBER 2021

On October 30 through 31, 2021, the 16th meeting of the Group of 20 was held in Rome, Italy. With an agreement on a global minimum tax, the G20 countries have found a common position. There was no consensus on climate protection, but determination in the fight against tax evasion. In their first in-person meeting since the outbreak of COVID-19, the heads of state and government of the leading industrialized and emerging countries voiced concerns and raised hopes at the G20 summit in Rome.

Climate Change and Environmental Protection The G20 countries want to implement robust actions to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. The new stipulation is that governments will target climate neutrality as early as the middle of the century. However, countries such as Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia were unwilling to accept 2050 as a confirmed target date for carbon neutrality.

There was also no agreement on phasing out coal-fired power generation. However, they followed the announcement of China to withdraw from international financing of new coal-fired power plants.

As for environmental protection, the G20 countries aim to halt

and no less than 30 percent of the oceans and seas worldwide will be “conserved or protected” by 2030. In addition, there are new measures to end overfishing of the oceans. There will also be an intensification of the fight against illegal deforestation and illicit mining.

Coronavirus Pandemic Taxes and Trade and Migration The joint fight against future pandemics will be strengthened and financially secured by establishing a working group of G20

Leaders confirmed the agreement signed by 136 states in October for a global minimum tax on international corporations.

It will come into force by 2023.

“... the G20 countries aim to halt biodiversity loss by 2030. At least 30 percent of the land area and no less than 30 percent of the oceans and seas worldwide will be “conserved or protected” by 2030. finance and health ministers. At the same time, the G20 countries backed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goal of vaccinating 40 percent of the population worldwide by the end of this year and 70 percent by the middle of next year. There were calls for a general transfer of technology and vaccine production in developing countries.

In their first in-person meeting since the outbreak of COVID-19, the heads of state and government of the leading industrialized and emerging countries voiced concerns and raised hopes at the G20 summit in Rome. biodiversity loss by 2030. At least 30 percent of the land area

“irregular migration flows and the smuggling of migrants.”

What is needed is a comprehensive concept “for safe, orderly and regular migration.” At the same time, they are willing to address the root causes of displacement and strengthen the integration of refugees.

Furthermore, the heads of state and government want to prevent

The main aim of the reform is to prevent the shifting of corporate profits to tax havens. Large, internationally active companies will pay at least 15 percent tax, regardless of their headquarter.

If a company pays less tax with its subsidiary abroad, the home state can claim the difference.

The G20 countries also committed themselves to an “open, fair, equitable, sustainable, non-discriminatory and inclusive rules-based multilateral trading system.” This action, they said, is crucial for recovery.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) will become the centerpiece of this trading system. On the fringes of the summit, the EU and the US also agreed on a provisional settlement of their years-long dispute over special US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

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Energy and Nuclear Weapons The G20 countries pointed out the need for a secure energy supply concerning the current high energy prices. “We stress the importance of maintaining uninterrupted energy supplies from different sources, suppliers and through different routes, exploring pathways to improved energy security and market stability, while promoting open, competitive and free international energy markets,” they said.

They agreed that secure supply chains are also crucial to transforming energy systems.

Finally, the US, France, the UK, and Germany called on Iran during the G20 summit to return to its commitments under the Vienna nuclear agreement. The different leaders said that, without a swift return to the agreement, “a dangerous escalation” could loom. At the same time, the US declared its willingness to return to and fully comply with the accord.

Hence, discussions in such a round are laborious and complicated — in the end, they produce compromises that are often highly woolly. Yet, some of the agreements reached in Rome also show that the G20 can reach a common ground and deliver concrete actions against global issues. If some perceive the summit as outdated and ineffective, they should remind themselves that the alternative would be a policy of speechlessness and pure confrontation.

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Editorial

NOVEMBER 2021

The Silencing and Disappearance of Chinese Tennis Player Peng Shuai

What is happening to Peng Shuai?

by Saoirse Aherne Staff Reporter

Editorial

NOVEMBER 2021

On November 2, 35-year-old Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai accused former Chinese Vice President Zhang Gaoli of sexually assaulting her. The twiceGrand Slam doubles champion made the accusation on Weibo, a Chinese social media network.

Within minutes, the post was deleted, a censor appeared to block the word “tennis” from search results, and Peng disappeared from the public view.

According to Peng, she engaged in a secret relationship with Zhang between 2013 and 2018.

Over this period, Peng claims to have had consensual sex with Zhang on numerous occasions, however she alleges that on one occasion, the sex was not consensual. Though the Chinese media has suppressed the story, screenshots of Peng’s initial post continue to circulate.

This affair has caused outrage around the world. On November 17, the state-owned Chinese television broadcaster CGTN released an email allegedly written

by Peng. The email said, “the allegation of sexual assault is not true. I am not missing, nor am I unsafe. I’ve just been resting at home.” In response to the email, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Chairman Steve Simon asked for further proof that it was written by Peng, expressing difficulty “believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email,” and claiming its release “only raises [his] concerns as to her safety.”

A number of other organizations have continued to voice concerns regarding Peng Shuai’s whereabouts. Amnesty International called for proof of Peng’s safety, asserting that her case “highlights the treatment faced

by women survivors of sexual abuse in China, whose allegations are routinely ignored and who are often targeted for speaking out.”

The International Tennis Federation spokeswomen Heather Bowler stated that “player safety is always… top priority,” and expressed support for a “full and transparent investigation into this matter.”

On November 21, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach met with Peng on a 30-minute video call and subsequently released a statement asserting that Peng was “doing fine” and had asked “to have her privacy respected.”

That same day, China Open posted videos and photos of Peng appearing at a youth tennis tournament in Beijing.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised major concerns about the virtual call, and accused the IOC of helping China in light of the Winter Olympics set to occur in Beijing next year. According to Sophie Richardson, China’s director for HRW, “the IOC has shown… how desperate it is to keep the Games on the rails no matter the human cost.” CNN has also raised concerns over the video call regarding the fact that the IOC never explained how the video call was organized. In a statement to CNN, the

Women’s Tennis Association underlined that the call does not “alleviate or address the WTA’s concern about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship.”

Peng can be added to a lengthening list of Chinese celebrities targeted for political dissent. In a similar fashion to Peng, Alibaba founder Jack Ma stopped making public appearances for three months after criticizing state regulations in 2020. Ren Zhiqiang, a real estate tycoon, also disappeared from the public eye in 2020 after condemning the Chinese government’s handling of COVID and was later sentenced to 18 years in prison on corruption charges.

Hong Kong native Annie Wong notes that the man accused by Peng of sexual assault is no longer relevent to the CCP. Nonetheless, “any accusation to the CCP is an accusation against Xi,” she said, referring to current Chinese Chairman Xi Jin

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Ping. Wong also underlined that women’s rights in China have long been seen as an example of “Western influence,” which has led to a heavy repression of the #metoo movement. Wong said, “In a functioning democracy, you would be able to make an accusation of this nature in a court.”

Peng did not have this option, there was no potential to seek justice through legal means and thus she “was forced to resort to social media.” Finally, Wong asks the question: “If someone of this status cannot get justice, what does that mean for the average Chinese woman?”

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Editorial

Update on Tunisia

NOVEMBER 2021

Situation Today and for the Future

by Nour Cherif Guest Reporter

Editorial

NOVEMBER 2021

On November 10, the Tunisian #MeToo movement was resuscitated, this time inside the Faculté des Sciences Juridiques, Politiques et Sociales of Tunis, with reports of sexual harassment, and at fault appears to be the same student. Feminist associations are working on bringing out the obstructed or “forgotten” complaints to justice.

Being away from Tunisia makes it hard to keep up with the societal, political and economic turmoil. But there’s a wind of change that people are feeling, a certain revival of the hope of a decade ago on many fronts.

From the 25 demonstrations and the suspension of the parlia-

ment, to the appointment of the first female prime minister in the Arab world, it seems that Tunisia never fails to surprise us.

Ever since Tunisia was labeled as the exception, expectations have been high. After President Kais Said’s decision to suspend the parliament, many Western journals were naively quick to write, “Tunisians don’t want democracy,” along with many other orientalist statements. However, despite the tremendous support that the president’s actions have received, it is not safe to say that supporters carry the same intensity today. In fact, when the president prolonged the suspension of the parliament and acquired more executive power, 2,000 people demonstrated on

September 26 to show their discontent, and to assert their attachment to the 2014 Constitution.

Everybody knows what is at stake, how easily the situation can spiral. But Tunisians are being patient, hopeful, and most certainly disillusioned by the way democracy has been working — they are waiting for its renovation, not its dismantlement.

Tunisians have come a long way since the 2011 revolution. The country’s economy has overcome the destabilizing terrorist attacks that had temporarily put down its tourism. After the death of late President Beji Caid Essebsi, there was a peaceful transition. Today, Tunisians

17

have gained a lot of knowledge about what is happening on the political and economic scene.

Civil society is stronger than ever. Women are standing up to their aggressors. People protested against the actions of the president, and Tunisians are awake. They do not incur a political system in silence, and will not step down any time soon from their rights, as they know how far they have come.

Tunisia is still in construction, nothing is a given, and every day is a struggle, but there is so much to be done that there is no going back.

Photos by Amira Zargouni

x Babel

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Arts and Entertainment

NOVEMBER 2021

by Leila O’Rourke Guest Reporter

WARNING: This article contains Squid Games spoilers.

photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Squid Game Review Scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, you have probably seen trends of people trying to cut umbrellas or triangles out of cookies with needles, along with other Squid Game-related content. Squid Game quickly became one of the most talked about shows of 2021, and it was even the first South Korean series to top Netflix streaming charts across the world. If you have not seen it yet, then I’ll tell you what you need to know.

If you have, I hope you come out of reading this article with a different perspective.

First of all, no, there are no squids involved. The show got its namesake from a game that its protagonist, Seong Gi-Hun, played as a child, illustrated in the initial scene of the first episode. We are then brought into the present, when it is revealed that he is in severe debt with a gambling addiction.

One day, he encounters a man at the train station who offers him a cash prize to play children’s games with other players — an offer which Gi-Hun accepts. He is then taken to an unknown location in which he is one of 456 debt-ridden players hoping to win the grand prize of 45.6 billion South Korean Won (the equivalent of almost 34 million euros). Each player of the game is worth 100 million won, and

whenever one is ‘eliminated,’ that sum is added to the cash prize. Here’s the catch: elimination results in immediate death.

The players do not realize this until the first game, red light green light, when running the red light results in a bullet through one player’s skull. A chilling automated voice then announces, “Player 324, eliminated.” And that’s it. One life lost, 100 million won closer to the prize. Squid Game critiques capitalism’s effects on human life. The system benefits those who are richer and more educated, and therefore the working class is given little to no regard.

In Squid Game, only those who are desperate enough to risk their lives in the game to earn the cash prize play. Every player is diminished to a number and a monetary value. However, this is often a higher value (monetarily or emotionally) than the players are given in South Korea’s capitalist society. This is illustrated after the first game, when all of the players are allowed to leave due to the game’s gruesome nature. After going back to their ordinary lives for a few days, most players decide to return to the game because they realize that their life in the outside world is no better than their life (or likely death) within the game.

What makes the series especially eerie, other than its extreme gore when players are eliminated, is the relatability of the main characters. We learn about their stories and become attached, but inevitably, all but one of them are destined to die.

The wide range of characters represent the best and worst of humanity, from betrayal to love that is worth dying for. In the most heart wrenching episode of the series, episode 6, the players have to choose a partner to play a dice game with, but in the end, the losing partner will die. Most choose their friends or loved ones, adding a more personal aspect to the non-protagonist players. For instance, a husband and wife chose to compete together in the games, and chose each other as partners, without knowing that one of them would have to die.

The fates of other protagonists were also sealed in this game, such as Pakistani immigrant Ali, who was the victim of ultimate betrayal by businessman SangWoo. Ali was nothing but good throughout the series, and he was forced to participate in the games to care for his family. To add another layer to his death, Ali’s player number is 199, and the Islmaic Hadith 199 is linked to betrayal and hypocrisy, the exact cause of his death.

The series has many other hidden references, and I suggest that you watch Squid Game yourself to find personal meaning. Despite its gore, this dystopian show tells the story of class division, desperation, violence, betrayal, discrimination, and whatever you decide it means to you. Each character is unique; you will be surprised about which characters will show you pieces of yourself. The characters are dehumanized, then as we learn more about them, they are reconstructed, and then broken down one last time at the time of their death.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, the game is being watched by international elite as they enjoy their finely-crafted cocktails.

The message of Squid Game is clear: the privileged will always use the poor as pawns for their agendas and entertainment, just like Squid Game is watched for entertainment. True fans of the show should have picked up a lesson or two about the effects of capitalism from the series. Instead, they immediately went to order a Squid Game Halloween costume from Amazon.

Arts and Entertainment

NOVEMBER 2021

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Reflecting on Egypt’s Youssef Chahine

Film Review of “Bab el Hadid”

The movie “Bab el Hadid” brings back memories of the notorious Grand Central station in New York City, where I grew up. It captures the commotion and emotion of the train station as a hub: a place where people reunite after years apart; where people say goodbye to their loved ones; where people are always in a rush to get to the next destination. The Cairo station, like all train stations, is inherently not a destination but simply a part of the journey. However, in “Bab el Hadid,” which focuses on the station’s daily functioning, the place is redefined as a destination of its own with a community of its own.

This raw vision of the train station provides a nuanced commentary on class struggles because it exposes the station for what it is: a place for homeless people to take shelter, for the crazy to roam around, and for the lower class to make a spare buck by selling newspapers and fresh drinks. Throw in a street performer and lost tourists, and you have Grand Central. But this was not Grand Central — this was the 1958 Cairo station at the brink of an era of underclass mobilization and women’s emancipation. In its realism, the movie unravelled the themes of women’s rights activism, sexualization of women in the workplace, and unionization of laborers. The film’s honest and brutal commentary on these themes made it by far and away more real and relevant than many other Arab movies of that era. While it maintained the

theme of a tragic love story that could never come to be due to class differences (i.e. Kenawi’s love for Hanuma), the context surrounding this plot is so much more nuanced that one could hardly call it a love story. Moreover, the extravagant decor of Egyptian films in the early 1900s was long forgotten in the production of this film, where the most commonly featured house decor was lewd magazine clippings of women pasted on the walls.

The portrayal of Kenawi’s fixa-

tion on women provided insight into the truth of sexualization of women: in many cases, it is incredibly creepy. By featuring an insane man in this role, the film was more sympathetic to women in instances of catcalling and stalking. It exposed the ugly truth that women are frequently physically threatened simply for the act of rejecting a man.

After the idealized films from the earlier era, the honesty in this film was welcome, familiar, and, in a way, homey to me. The portrayal of a woman like Hanu-

by Celeste Abourjeili Editor-in-Chief

ma, who was sexy and desirable, in a tough and rude connotation was also a welcome reality and break from the “femme fatale” prototype in previous films, at least in the beginning of the film. However, her attitude and disregard for Abu Serih’s instructions along with his violent reaction brought back the power imbalance between men and women. Hanuma’s seductive response was even worse and regressed her character back to the “femme fatale” prototype, disappointing the earlier characterization of Hanuma as a new kind of woman.

The theme of insanity with Kenawi matched his disconnect with the hub of the train station.

He talked about moving to his village, away from the noise and the people and the confusion, when he proposed to Hanuma.

He was an outsider from the get go, not belonging in the train station community nor in the train station itself. Despite his violence and creepy behavior towards women, I could not help but feel for Kenawi in the moment when Madbouli talks to him at the end of the film because we saw that his desires were quite simple, like anybody else’s, after all. This film succeeded at making unlikely characters relatable and telling the stories of those whom society would never have considered or accepted before.

photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Critique du Film: Incendies 20

Arts and Entertainment

by Salim Ouaritini Guest Reporter

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

“Les yeux sont le miroir de l’âme” dit-on souvent. Et dans Incendies de Denis Villeneuve, les yeux se font le reflet d’âmes agitées, tourmentées, torturées mais aussi exhumées. Le regard possède une place éminente dans la compréhension et la contemplation du film, tant il est porteur de sens et miroir de la décadence psychologique des personnages. Selon moi, l’essentiel du film pourrait être résumé à travers l’analyse du regard. Le regard de l’enfant face caméra dans la séquence d’ouverture, grave et noirci, qui a tout à envier à la blanche candeur d’un regard enfantin, et qui vous scrute et se rapproche tant la caméra s’en approche, brisant le 4e mur et déroutant le spectateur dès les premières minutes. Ce 1er regard qui fait écho au dernier. Celui de

l’adulte qui observe la tombe d’une mère qu’il n’aura connu qu’à travers son absence, son viol et sa mort. Mais le regard qu’il nous sera donné de voir le plus souvent et qui ponctuera le film est sans aucun doute celui de Nawel, la mère. Du regard vide et traumatisé d’une mère à qui l’on arrache l’enfant et tue le compagnon, au regard déterminé et brave d’une mère qui traverse un pays en guerre pour retrouver son fils, qui se transformera en un regard de terreur et de désolation qui succède à l’absurde boucherie du bus, et qui murera en un regard de rancoeur et de haine qui poussera au meurtre, faisant place à un regard de folie et d’agonie humaine dans la prison de “Kfar Ryat” avant de retourner à ce 1er regard glacial, emplit de vide et de traumatismes mais

regard qui cette fois-ci sera conjugué au visage de la mort.

Et par un montage parallèle, le regard de Nawal du “Passé” se superpose à celui de sa fille Jeanne au présent qui lui aussi se modifie et s’intensifie au rythme des révélations toujours plus obscures et tragiques.

Il conviendra donc de saluer le talent des acteurs qui ont su faire parler leur regard pour mieux nous porter dans l’histoire. Car si l’on nous donne souvent à voir le regard des personnages, ce regard, et donc le point de vue qui l’accompagne, est celui que nous adoptons également. Car lorsque l’on assiste à la scène du massacre du bus, avec une camionnette transpercée de balles et aspergée de sang et d’essence avant de se consumer dans des

NOVEMBER 2021 flammes aigres d’atrocité, notre regard ne peut que s’assombrir et notre coeur s’alourdir. Toutefois, il arrive que le film, à coup d’ellipses et de hors champ, nous épargne quelques images noires et “malséantes” telles celles du viol, mais en n’en laissant juste assez pour susciter effroi et horreur. On se fait spectateur d’une tragédie recque faite d’une mère, de jumeaux, d’une quête de sens, de violence, de meurtre, d’inceste, de catharsis, de coup de théâtre….

Certaines caractéristiques telles l’enfermement pendant 15 ans, la quête de sens dans un monde absurde, l’inceste entre parent et enfant annoncé en plot twist de fin semble faire écho au film sud Coréen “Old Boy” de Park Chan-Wook qui lui aussi laisse une marque indélébile de par la consternation qu’il provoque en nous.

Plus encore, ce film à travers les regards qu’il nous montre et tout ce qu’il force notre regard à voir, cherche peut être également à changer le regard que l’on porte sur notre réalité, sur le monde qui nous entoure.

Car l’absurdité d’une guerre qui provoque massacre et destruction pour des raisons politiques et religieuses n’est pas quelque chose qui relève uniquement de la fiction mais également d’une réalité qui a existé, va exister ou continue d’exister . La référence faite au Moyen Orient (peut être particulièrement à la guerre civile au Liban qui oppose Chrétiens et musulmans) semble assez évidente sans pour autant être au centre des considérations faites par le film.

Car ce que l’on retient d’abord, c’est que peu importe le camp, la guerre est ignoble. Si l’on nous montre tant de regards que l’on n’aimerait jamais voir, c’est peut être parce qu’il nous faut les voir pour nous rappeler de la chance que l’on a d’avoir notre regard.

Sports as a Way of Life Sports

NOVEMBER 2021

21

by Joudi Arafa Guest Reporter

Photos by Hugo Lagergren

Sport is key for every individual.

It constitutes an integral part of human life. Essentially, it keeps us fit and sane while reinforcing mental and physical strength. Biologically, it keeps our predominant organs alert and in turn the heart becomes stronger when it is met by regular exercise.

Serving as a tool to help build the character and personality of a person. Sports have gained priority in all aspects of life whilst uniting the people.

Sports always encourage people to strive to be the best that they can be, acting as a role model in their surroundings.

What can be learned from sports Sports bring utility. Notably, they establish discipline in life as they teach the fundamentals of communication, mobility, hard

work, fairness etc. Psychologically, sport advances a human’s thinking ability and decreases the stress of mind. It teaches control of emotions; the essence of staying focused in attaining discipline. Consequently, how

does one attain their desired levels of discipline to reach a desired goal? First and foremost, it is essential to highlight the value of discipline in shaping determination and mindset. Discipline is a crucial foundation for any sport, and also a major aspect to succeed and dominate in other areas of life, especially in one’s career. As mentioned, it assists in achieving a certain mindset towards realizing great things.

Another angle that can be taken when stating the lessons learned from sports is leadership skills. Even without being the captain of the football team, all teammates gain leadership skills. Sports always encourage people to strive to be the best that they can be, acting as a role model in their surroundings.

Undoubtedly, physical activity is a core mental skill because it impacts other parts of our lives, like school and relationships with family and friends. It acts as an opportunity to build self-confidence, by embracing getting along with all kinds of people.

Being a part of a group is motivating by itself; there is a group energy that occurs when people come together to take part in the same fun event. To sum up, discipline and focus are just two of the life skills that sports can illustrate; responsibility, goal-setting and working within a group are all equally beneficial and vital when recognizing sports and physical activity as pillars of leading a happy healthy life.

x BDS

22

Sports

NOVEMBER 2021

Photos by Hugo Lagergren

Technology in sports The world of sport is perpetually changing over the years, and the use of technology is just one area that has made an impact on many sports in the modern day.

Nowadays, technology plays a significant role in sports, and its use is indeed growing significantly. Advanced technology has become more resilient and less burdensome over this last decade, paving the way for new opportunities. Athletes currently wear sensors that portray real-time information to a trainer’s tablet, a GPS that precisely pinpoints motion, and wearable tech that prevents injuries.

Compared to whiteboards and post-practice reviews, technology has substantially increased athletic potential. Take, for instance, swimmers and divers who participate in an extremely technical sport and have adapted the use of sensors into their usual practices. When swimming or diving, sensors measure more

movements. Remarkably, they may only shave milliseconds off a performance, but a millisecond in a race can make all the difference needed to secure that desired gold medal!

Importance of sports for students life As mentioned, sports have a massive positive impact on both the mind and body. It is therefore imperative to assess the various benefits that a student will gain from engaging in sports activities while also attending class. One can not deny how much sports aid in the overall development

Development from sport goes beyond learning new physical skills. Sport helps students develop better ways to cope with the highs and lows of life. than the usual time and effort metrics. They map movements like rotational speed, dive angle, leg movement and hydrodynamics. Observing movements like those listed is groundbreaking, and allows trainers to help athletes further perfect their

and growth of a student when effectively balanced with academia. While engaging in sports activities may seem to deduct time from studying, research has shown that more active students have better cognitive abilities.

Sports along with other physical

activities are beneficial to the brain, which allows students to remember or understand consistently what they read. In turn, it also increases competence when planning, creating strategies, and building team work, all of which are vital skills to have when being part of society.

Development from sport goes beyond learning new physical skills. Sport helps students develop better ways to cope with the highs and lows of life.

Constructive use of time and discipline is a major characteristic of any sportsperson. If a student plays sports, they need to demonstrate commitment of time, to be in a particular place at a particular time every day as a part of their routine. Simply

put, participating in sports encourages a mindset towards practice, growth, and improvement: principles that encourage students to also hold academically. Becoming better at a sport results in self satisfaction, and sports are an excellent way to experience tangible improvement. From improving social skills to teaching self-esteem and personal resilience, sports can instill lifelong values for students that reach far past the classroom.

Sports

NOVEMBER 2021

With that being said, let’s hear what students from our Sciences Po campus had to say when asked about staying active:

Carolina Mohr, 18yrs What sport do you play?

“Soccer” Why is physical activity important for you?

“Mental health, specifically for focus and I also just generally feel better because of endorphins.”

Samanéa Rousseau, 18yrs What sport do you play?

“I did competitive swimming for 12 years and eventing in horse-riding for 10.”

Why is physical activity important for you?

“I liked the idea of pushing myself to see where it takes me.

I liked the outcome of mixing sports and people- it brought me amazing teammates, made me travel, encounter people and places I would not have otherwise. It taught me how important connections between people are. Those people picked me up when I was at my lowest and also pushed me to do my best.

Go try new things, meet people; those things will teach you a bundle of values about life that you don’t even know you need.

I wish it to everyone, don’t be scared to make the leap because you have nothing to lose.”

David Ederberg, 21yrs

Lena Westlund, 18yrs

What sport do you play?

What sport do you play?

“For most of my life I’ve been doing Krav Maga, here in Menton I mostly play Volley- and Basketball. But I also like going running and doing different workouts to stay fit.”

“Boxing”

Why is physical activity important for you?

“For me, being physically active is the perfect way to clear my mind, gain new energy and to be able to better focus and concentrate on school work. I love it when after a workout you know that you really challenged yourself and accomplished something - it’s the best feeling ever.”

Why is physical activity important for you?

“Beneficial for physical and mental health.”

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The Fairytale of Arab Unity:

MENA

NOVEMBER 2021

by Lara-Nour Walton Staff Reporter

Israeli-Arab ties strengthen Once upon a time, there was an anticolonial fervor that bound the Arabic speaking countries together. Once upon a time, the Arab Enlightenment, Al-Nahda, prompted the espousement of Nasser’s and Gadaffi’s quixotic, pan-Arab ideals. Once upon a time, the Palestinian plight was something other Arabs, a people all too familiar with the consequences of colonial pursuit, could relate to; still fresh in my great grandmother’s mind 50 years later was the sound of bagpipes from the British occupation in Egypt. But, the SWANA region has become fragmented

over the years. The memory of occupation is far more distant among the newer generations, and popular and state solidarity with Palestine has only diminished as a result.

This dwindling support is evident in pro-Israel policy shifts.

Up until recently, there had always been bad blood between the Gulf States and Israel. Saudi Arabia, especially, had remained a staunch supporter of the Palestinians — in 1973, it even enforced an oil embargo against the U.S. for backing Israel during the Yom Kippur War. This

demonstration of Saudi’s past willingness to put its valuable American alliance in jeopardy proved its loyalty to the Palestinian cause. That is why the world was stunned when late last year, Saudi Arabia appeared to be open to normalization with Israel. This paradigm shift followed the signing of the Abraham Accords which afforded fellow GCC members, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, normal diplomatic relations with Israel.

During his rule, Saudi King, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, had refused any normalization

until Israel restored the 1967 borders. But his son, Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman, who has taken over from the King almost entirely, is not as attached as his father to the Palestinian cause. His desire to appease the West and safeguard his Kingdom’s regional hegemony against Iran undoubtedly informed his choice to normalize ties with Israel.

The potency of U.S. influence cannot be understated when analyzing the diplomatic reordering of the SWANA region.

In September of 2020, Sudan

MENA

NOVEMBER 2021

joined the Abraham accords with the promise that the U.S. remove it from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism and lift sanctions. Similarly, Morocco’s December 2020 move to join the agreement was largely predicated on Washington’s conditional pledge to affirm Morocco’s claim over the disputed Western Sahara land. In effect, Palestinians, according to Ahmad Majdalani, member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Executive Committee, feel abandoned “by the Arab nation(s) leaving them to remain locked in an untenable status quo.” As a result of U.S. sway in the region, SWANA diplomatic decisions are almost always made at the expense of Palestine. Consequently, Israel is rewarded for conceding nothing.

This trend has continued, this time in Jordan. Despite the 1994 Peace Treaty, the Hashemite Kindom’s relationship with Israel has been tenuous over the past two decades, in large part due to King Abdullah’s sympathy for the sizeable, and ever-growing, Palestinian population of Jordan. At the core of Jordanian foreign policy has been the demand for the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with an East Jerusalem capital. Under former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Jordan-Israel bilateral relations grew icy. However, one of the top priorities of the new premier, Naftali Bennet, is to thaw those relations. In his bid to do this, he and Jordan engaged in what Gidon Bromberg, Israel’s director of the regional environmental group EcoPeace Middle East, said is the “largest water sale in the history of the two countries.” This water deal stipulates that the H2O-deficient

Kingdom is set to receive double the amount of fresh water from Israel than it had before. But, to Jordanian English Track 1A, Sami Omaish, this deal is far from magnanimous. “Israel diverts water from the Jordan River. It is hypocritical that they steal Jordanian water and then sell it back for Jordanian money.”

However, Jordan’s top envoy does not seem to be phased by this reality. He reported that he and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid intend for this to be the first in a series of deals towards “a just and comprehensive peace” between Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom.

On the same day as the water deal, Jordan accused Israel of committing war crimes for the forced eviction of Palestini-

ans from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.

But despite Amman’s frequent condemnations of Israeli human rights abuses, there is little to no firm action to match its threatening rhetoric. Perhaps it is simply advantageous for a country in drought to be chummy with one of the world’s leaders in desalination. Or perhaps King Abdullah seeks diplomatic realignment with Israel in order to maintain the $1.5 billion in annual aid from pro-Israel lawmakers in Washington. Regardless of the reasoning, Jordan’s support as one of Palestine’s most devoted advocates is waning.

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century characterized by pushes for liberationism and anti-colonialism. However, according to Agha, “many of the Palestinians’ former Third World allies (like India and Vietnam) have chosen economic self-interest in place of ideological commitment.”

Long ago, Palestine was at the heart of the intoxicating idea of Arab solidarity. Now, it struggles to retain its legitimacy in an increasingly splintered SWANA region. In light of warming relations with Israel across the Arab world, it seems as though Palestine’s last true allies are deserting.

Palestine found a home in what senior associate member of Oxford’s St. Antony’s College, Hussein Agha, calls the “Third World Movement,” a period of time during the mid 20th Photos courtesy of Creative Commons

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MENA

NOVEMBER 2021 Photos courtesy of Creative Commons

Prioritizing public health or inhumane punishment?

by Ayse Lara Selcuker Editor

Visitation still not allowed in 82 percent fully vaccinated prisons

MENA

NOVEMBER 2021

While this article was written before the government announced the return to “open visitation” on December 1, its analysis of pandemic prison policies are still valid; prisoners have been neglected across the globe.

Turkish prison inmates have not been permitted “open visitation” for one year and eight months, despite the fact that the prison vaccination rate (82 percent) has surpassed that of the general population (78 percent), according to an article published

by T24.

For almost two years, according to DW Turkish, inmates have only had access to 20 minutes of phone calls per week, increased from 10 minutes pre-pandemic.

Prisons have recently begun to allow “closed visitation,” but the Justice Department suggests that this will not change for a while, “due to pandemic reasons.”

The Turkish prison system distinguishes between “open visitation” and “closed visitation” as contact visitation (where the inmate may sit in a room with their relatives or lawyer and sit at a table for a period of time) and non-contact glass-partition visitation (where the inmate and the lawyer/relative are separated by a glass partition and have to talk through a telephone.)

Not only is “open visitation” banned for inmates, but also any cross-prison transfers are currently at a halt. Transferring from high security prisons (which often use solitary confinement) to lower security prisons for good behavior, once motivation for inmate reformi is no longer possible. This might

even mean that some have been in solitary confinement or similarly psychologically abusive situations for as long as these pandemic rules have been instated.

The contrast between the strict rules in prisons and travel for the general public is particularly striking. While Turkey has been in the process of returning to normal since about June, with lockdowns ending and restaurants, schools and hotels reopening, the fact that prisoners cannot even sit in a room with their relatives, and perhaps more importantly, their lawyers, is astonishing.

A similar critique can even be made about pre-June Turkey, when its restrictions (or lack thereof) on tourists seemed incomparable to those on its citizens. While Turkey’s citizens faced a lockdown on Sundays, and earlier in the pandemic before vaccinations, for consecutive weeks, tourists were exempted from any lockdown restrictions. Prisoners have therefore been a victim of Turkey’s inconsistent COVID-19 response ever since the beginning.

Many point to the fact that prisons are congregate housing facilities, with higher risks for COVID transmission at a much higher rate. Yet, the Anadolu Agency reports that Turkish nursing homes have had the right to allow visitations since around June, when the reopening period started. The Turkish government left this decision to the discretion of the nursing homes, many of which have decided to allow visitations with proof of visitors’ vaccinations and negative PCR test results.

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in May 2020.

Further, there is really little reason to justify the continued isolation of inmates despite a developed vaccination scheme such as the one observed in Turkey at the moment. While Turkish citizens can now travel internationally (and foreigners can travel to Turkey) as they wish with vaccinations and test results, inmates suffer, despite prisons’ higher vaccination and lower case rates.

Yet, is this a Turkey-specific issue as some would make it to be? How has the rest of the world dealt with congregate housing facilities and, particularly, prisons? The response varies, but it can be determined overall that many have unsurprisingly not prioritized prisoners in their pandemic response. With many which have had problems with prison visits, a shocking number of nations have little to no information available about their prison-visit protocols.

According to Buzzfeed, prisons in California only opened their doors to in-person visits around July, following months of telephone and video visits through a platform that faced frequent and significant crashes. According to its official website, the United Kingdom government has set up a “National Framework for Prisons” by which prisons have been classified as open or closed to visits based on their current vaccination and case rights, allowing for there to be a dynamic, updated, and rational system for prisons to receive visitors.

The EuroPris website, which has stated that it will be “updated every day,” posted its most recent “Prison Visits” update on its COVID-19 information page

Concurrent with many questions surrounding the ethics of prisons in debate around the world, the pandemic has made it especially evident that prisoners are too often neglected by the government in times of crisis.

The humanity of inmates are too often forgotten in policies about people who have been portrayed as criminals with no remorse.

No person deserves no visits or no contact for a year and eight months, and governments across the world need to develop their schemes on including all of the nation’s public when specifying pandemic responses.

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MENA

Protests Against Military Coup Ongoing in Sudan

On October 25, a military backed-coup led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolved the power- sharing agreement between civilians and military leaders in the wake of Sudan’s 2019 revolution. According to Al Jazeera, al-Burhan’s coup was declared a state of emergency, dissolving the sovereignty council and transitional ministers, suspending work on the Constitution, and relieving governors of their positions. The military arrested a large group of government supporters and put Civilian Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on house arrest.

In an interview with Vice News, retired general Fath al-Rahmen Muhyiddin claimed that the military executed the coup because the people have failed to see improvements in living standards since Bashir’s time in power.

He continued that stagnation is evident of a failed system, which the military aims to fix.

The October 25 coup did not come as a surprise for most Sudanese nationals; the military had attempted a similar operation on September 21, 2021, which many viewed as a practice run for October. Since this date, many civil society organizations have been demonstrating in fear of return to an authoritarian regime similar to that of Omar Bashir, the dictator ousted in 2019.

Demonstrations have increased in scale and number since Oc-

tober 25, led by civilian groups such as Forces of Freedom and Change and the Sudanese Professionals Association. As Nazik Awad of Open Democracy wrote, these protests are uniquely grassroots, with organization coming primarily from resistance committees, youth groups, women’s groups, professional unions, and political parties.

They have an impressively far reach in part due to the use of Rendok, a street language originating from rural migrants in Khartoum. The adoption of this language has engaged a class of people not usually included in civil society.

The Coordinated Resistance Committees, one of the largest organizations, has established that it has seven demands and is looking to engage in civil disobedience until they are met. These demands are the following: 1. Overthrowing the military coup and handing over full power to civilians.

2. Handing over all members of the coup council to urgent and immediate trials on charges of the military coup.

3. No dialogue and no negotiation with any member of the coup military council and

4.

5.

6.

7.

all members of the security committee and the rejection of international inter-conversation.

Dissolve all armed militias and reform the armed people’s forces according to a national belief that aims to protect the borders of the country and the rights of the people in freedom, peace, and justice.

The removal of the systemic forces from the political process permanently, by criminalizing and preventing the practice of politics by the military.

Formation of all structures of the transitional authority in a specific period, under the supervision of relevant professional and academic bodies.

Total independence of the sovereignty of the Sudanese state in regards to all economic, political and security decisions.

NOVEMBER 2021

by Cameron Sterling Staff Reporter Though many members of the public support these demands and there is mass mobilization against the coup, Sudan’s future is unclear. Though it has denied it, the military has carried out violent crackdowns on peaceful protests, shooting tear gas and live rounds into crowds. As of November 21, the death toll has reached 40. As evidenced

by Vice News, protestors and organizers also face the risk of arbitrary arrest and beatings by the police.

Though, it seems that there is a degree of stability on the horizon; the Guardian claims that Prime Minister Hamdok has been released. He made a new deal with the military to establish a new technocratic cabinet, supported by the UN and United States, with the aim of restoring order to the nation.

It is imperative to note, however, that most key resistance committees oppose this deal.

They have vowed to continue to protest until a government is established without the involvement of the military.

Photos courtesy of Creative Commons

NOVEMBER 2021

MENA

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Photos courtesy of Creative Commons

The first democratic elections in Qatar

Democratic or Diplomatic?

by Emilia Kohlmeyer Staff Reporter

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MENA

NOVEMBER 2021

On October 21, the Gulf emirate Qatar held its first elections for the government’s legislative body, Majlis Al Shura (commonly referred to as the Shura or Advisory Council).

The vote was divided in 30 electoral districts with a total of 284 candidates distributed on 30 seats. There were 28 female candidates, however none were successful.

The monarchy has been continuously delaying its elections since 2007 — although the Qatari constitution outlined the first elections to commence as early as 2004.

The elected candidates were largely composed of former government officials and influential businessmen.

The Shura is composed of 30 popularly elected seats and 15 seats appointed by the Emir. It is responsible for approving the national budget as well as drafting, discussing, and voting on proposed legislation — however, with some legal restrictions.

Eligible to vote are native Qatari citizens over the age of 18 — excluding a large number of naturalized citizens. While Qatar has a population of almost three million residents, only about 10% hold citizenship — and an even smaller portion is of ‘native’ descent.

The controversial electoral law, outlined in the 2005 Nationality law, requires proof that one’s grandfather was born in Qatar.

This led to backslash over the exclusion of the prominent Al Murrah tribe, sparking multiple arrests of members.

Independent candidates over the age of 30 are permitted to run for an office term of four years, given that they are recognized native citizens, have no criminal convictions, exhibit good character, and are fluent in written and spoken Arabic. Political parties are banned in the emirate.

Furthermore, foreign funding was strictly prohibited and a maximum budget of two million riyals, equivalent to 500.000 euros, was set for a maximum campaign of two weeks.

The Functions of the Shura Council

to issue laws in ‘exceptional circumstances’ for a limited period of time – without consultation of the Council. However, to extend this law, the Shura Council must approve it with a two-thirds majority within 40 days of submission.

Hence, constitutionally, the executive’s power is limited by the requirement to consult the Shura Council.

Elections in Qatar: Progressive or Utilitarian?

According to the constitution, Qatar has a democratic system which is based on the separation of powers. Furthermore, Qatar is one of the wealthiest Article 76 states, “The Advisory states of the world, possessing Council assumes the Legislative the third largest natural gas rePower, approves the State’s serve, which provides the state public budget and exercises the with 70% of government revenue function of ‘watchdog’ over the and 60% of the GDP. Executive Power, according to the manner stipulated in this This has allowed the country to Constitution.” provide generous benefits to its The Majalis Al Shura has the citizens, such as free healthpower to approve the national care, education, no taxes, and budget and to draft, discuss, and a monthly income. Therefore, vote on prowhile neighborposed legisla- “Qatar has been increas- ing states such tion. In ordinary as Bahrain and circumstances, ingly acting as a mediator Saudi Arabia the Cabinet faced political would propose in conflicts, such as in turmoil in laws which are context of the then passed on Middle Eastern countries Arab Spring to the Shura protests, Qatar Council for during the Arab Spring, faced essentialverification. ly no opposition as well as negotiating with by its populaOnce the Adtion. The Arab visory Council Israel on behalf of the Pal- Opinion Index passes a bill of 2019/2020 by majority, it estinian cause.” affirmed that must be passed 98% of the popto the Emir for approval. If he ulation believed the political sitrejects the bill, it must be reuation in Qatar was either good submitted to the council within or very good. Furthermore, the three months with a given expla- level of democracy was assessed nation. However, if the Council as 7.5/10, ranking remarkably passes the same bill again by a higher than other countries in two-thirds majority the emir is the region. This can be mostly required to pass the law. attributed to the rent the population receives, but as well due The emir, as executive power, to their size. The government is also has the right, according to known to have historically made Article 70 of the constitution, concessions with tribal figures,

which largely dominate the civilian political discourse.

Qatar’s political sphere is therefore largely run under the notion of ‘no taxes, no voice.’ However, the elections can be seen as an anticipatory effort by the government to decrease the number of natural resources while the population increases.

This will inevitably reduce the economic rent, and limit the government’s leverage over the population. To maintain the social contract on which the monarchy relies, an increase in popular political participation reduces the responsibility of providing rent, and potentially facilitates the implementation of policies such as taxation.

Furthermore, the elections can be regarded as a move to appeal to international powers. Qatar has been increasingly acting as a mediator in conflicts, such as in Middle Eastern countries during the Arab Spring, as well as negotiating with Israel on behalf of the Palestinian cause. This has conflicted with Saudi Arabia’s anticipations as the guard and mediator of the region.

Its movement towards a more democratic political system highlights Qatar as a progressive force in the region, which can help it gain assistance and recognition by important international actors such as the United States or the European Union.