![In the Middle East, growing politics trends related to conflict, human rights, elections, and the war in Ukraine](https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/middle-east-politics-north-africa-2023-01032022-1.jpg?w=519&h=259&crop=1)
The beginning of a new year always provides an opportunity to reflect on the events of the previous year. While 2022 doesn’t have a flagship event that resonates quite like some years in the recent past, it nonetheless featured or foreshadowed a number of trends and developments that will likely have an impact in 2023 and beyond.