From the Arab Spring to the Western Winter

Esther Ochigba draws a parallel between the Arab Spring and the protests in France, warning against the erosion of trust in democratic institutions and calling for setting boundaries on social networks and foreign activity.

Esther Ochigba, who holds a master's degree in Democracy Studies, writes an opinion piece drawing a parallel between the Arab Spring, which she experienced as a student, and the current protests in France. She argues that overthrowing a regime does not guarantee a better order, and that social networks, which helped dismantle regimes, do not know how to build a state. The article warns of a gradual erosion of public trust in democratic institutions, noting that social networks allow anger, lies, and incitement to spread rapidly. Ochigba addresses foreign interference, particularly from Russia and China, through digital infrastructures for information manipulation, and calls on democracies to set boundaries: require platforms to be transparent, expose campaign funding, flag fake content, and impose responsibility for spreading incitement. She calls for social and media reform in Israel, warning that if the West does not act, the Arab Spring could become a 'Western Winter'.