“…In January 2011 in Egypt, protests called for an end to poor economic conditions, injustice and corruption (Houissa, ). The Arab spring has highlighted some key challenges in the MENA region, including high poverty rates, the need to reform national subsidy systems, the growth of inequalities, and social injustice (O’sullivan, Rey and Mendez, ; Drukan, ; Korotayev and Zinkina, ; Breisinger, Ecker and Al‐Riffai, ; Campante and Chor, ; Singerman, ; Ross, ; Ross, ; Bellin, ; Hinnebusch, ; Beck and Hüser, ; Costello, Jenkins and Aly, ).…”