But new unfettered power will not necessarily help president weather the storms ahead

Opposition leaders strive to deny him control of the legislature in Sunday’s election

Pedro Sánchez sends a signal with his cabinet choices and talk of constitutional reform

Trump’s preference for posturing over policy has given Putin more leverage

The latest demands from the US of a regime change are a boon to some in Tehran

Tehran has been on a regional roll but now it must tread carefully

Iran-backed movement will trumpet legitimacy for position won through force of arms

Elections in Iraq and Lebanon will cement Tehran’s influence in the Middle East

The Turkish president’s anxiety for a vote suggests its result may not be inevitable

EU efforts to preserve nuclear restraint agreement may not be enough

Pulling troops out could further unravel a ruined country bordering five western-aligned nations  

A western response should dent Assad’s invulnerability and that of Moscow and Tehran

Sisi’s intolerance of dissent has swept aside both opponents and political failures

An attack on Hizbollah could trigger an uncontrollable chain reaction

The crown prince’s relentless efforts to rebrand Saudi Arabia has sown bitter seeds

Ankara’s aggression towards its ethnic minority strengthens the arc of Iranian power

Together they have turned two ‘de-escalation zones’ into the seventh circle of hell

Middle East tensions are greater than at any time since the end of the cold war

The likely triggers for war between Israel and Iran will spring from chaos in Syria

The Assad regime has been saved by air and ground forces provided by Russia and Iran

Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman is combining populism at home with hawkishness abroad

Ankara’s estrangement from the west over Kurdish self-determination now runs deep

There is tinder aplenty ready to catch alight across the globe

The kingdom is vulnerable to destabilising deals between the US and Saudi Arabia