Unrest Spells End to Mideast Dynasties

Confronting ongoing economic hardship and high unemployment rates, Tunisians, Egyptians and others across the Middle East question the value of tawrith, or inherited rule – a nation’s leadership locked up by one family. As protests rise, “dynastic succession in the region’s republics is likely to emerge as the main casualty,” writes Roula Khalaf, Middle East editor for the Financial Times, adding the “sons of Arab rulers have generally cultivated an image of youthful, modern leaders, helping them win support from reformist elites.” Western governments defend strong alliances with such leaders, prioritizing stability and smooth transitions over democratic principles. But secret plots arranging transitions for family members, both the corrupt and the reform-minded, may no longer go so smoothly, as citizens of Egypt, Yemen, Libya and other nations refuse to play along with the pretense that the electorate prefers nepotism. In a significant shift, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called on Egypt to institute reforms now. – YaleGlobal