NM's blog

In Germany, the far-right, anti-immigration party  Alternative for Germany (AfD)  routinely achieves its most substantial electoral victories in rural, remote, and economically marginalised areas—particularly in the former  East Germany —where the actual percentage of foreign-born residents and immigrants is exceptionally low.  This trend was starkly illustrated by the AfD's historic landslide victory in the eastern state of  Saxony-Anhalt , a region with a very low proportion of foreigners. In November 2019 Gareth Dale provided a background .

“ The reason for this development is a deep economic and political crisis, to which the established parties have no answers.” By Leandros Fisher 07 September 2026 The fact that the AfD can win a state election is not new. Already in 2024, the party led by Björn Höcke was far ahead of all other parties. The difference to Saxony-Anhalt: in 2024, it was still possible for the majority without the AfD. In Saxony-Anhalt, the "old order" was destroyed, writes the Neue Zürich Zeitung, because "the signs in German politics have turned around: it is the AfD that invites talks, formulates conditions, draws red lines, and thinks about a minority government." The reason for this development is a deep economic and political crisis, to which the established parties have no answers. Friedrich Merz had already insulted people as exploiters and angry citizens before the election, thereby showing that the Union is becoming a full-fledged crisis solver for the working class. The state...

An exchange A study on why Tunisians were the biggest number to go to Syria and join ISIS. Multiple comprehensive studies, including those by the  National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ,  The Washington Institute , and  International Alert , reveal that between  6,000 and 7,000 Tunisians  traveled to join ISIS due to a unique intersection of  post-revolution state absence, severe youth marginalisation, structural economic failure, and easy regional logistics .  [1, 2, 3]  While Tunisia was celebrated as the sole democratic success story of the 2011 Arab Spring, this rapid political transition paradoxically created the perfect breeding ground for radical recruitment.  [3, 4]  1. Political Transition and "Security Vacuum" Amnesty for Radicals : Following the 2011 revolution, the transitional government issued a general amnesty, releasing hundreds of hardline Islamist political prisoners and violent jihadists who quickly formed recrui...

I recall the French philosopher Alain Badiou arguing in one of his essays how the headscarf in France is tied to the free market, a market which wants to ban it. I would like to revisit Badiou's take on this. Explore how Badiou's contemporary Slavoj Žižek expanded on similar ideas regarding 'Islam' and capitalism. Although 'Islam' is not anti-capitalism per se! Islam is primarily the "religion of the poor". To what extent is that accurate in Western Europe in general? What is the role of religion and patriarchy? Muslim women are ordered or advised by their men not to work. Examining  labour statistics for Muslim women  in some European countries. 1. I recall the French philosopher Alain Badiou arguing in one of his essays how the headscarf in France is tied to the free market, a market which wants to ban it. I would like to revisit Badiou's take on this. You are remembering Alain Badiou’s highly provocative essay,  " The Law on the Headscarf i...