The grip of Tunisian President Kais Saied on the country’s judicial institutions continues to draw fierce criticism from political figures and rights advocates.

Day by day, the role of the so-called “National Guard” militia, formed by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, is becoming clearer, as it suppresses and detains those opposing its attempts to isolate the province from the Syrian homeland.

In an unprecedented turn since the post-2003 era that followed the U.S. invasion, Iraq’s civil movement has been reduced to a single seat in parliament after its electoral lists suffered a major setback in the November 11, 2025, vote.

This visual contrast between the official and the parallel, between the state and what lies outside it, sums up the reality of Tripoli today: a city governed by multiple centers of power, where lines of loyalty intersect between the government, militias, tribes, and even foreign capitals.

As theUAE presents itself to the world as a model of Arab modernity, openness, and innovation, the walls of its ruling palace conceal an intense power struggle between two influential brothers: Thnoun bin Zayed, and Hazza bin Zayed.