18/08/2021
Since 2010, in what came to be known as the ‘Arab Spring’, the Middle East and North Africa (the MENA region) has witnessed a number of revolutionary waves, starting with the Tunisian Revolution. As of 2018, a number of countries, including Syria, Libya and Yemen, continue to witness civil wars and insurgencies. The Arab Spring and power struggles in its aftermath exhibit a strong influence of what could be called ‘political Islam.’ In particular, political movements inspired by religious doctrine have been vying for a voice in proposals for new constitutional arrangements. While Islamic law have been discussed as a source for constitutional designs, there is a clear reliance on the model of the nation-state, as indoctrinated through European colonial powers. This paper argues that such adherence to the ideal of a homogenous nation will not, on the long run, furnish a (politically) stable constitutional platform. The Turkish model, seen as an exemplar for constitutional reform in the region, faces the same challenges form sizable ethnic (or religious) minorities.
