The new waves of protests, mass mobilization, and democratic transitions in Sudan, Algeria, Iraq, and Lebanon are increasingly highlighting the emergence of new intermediary bodies: professional associations and rehabilitated unions. These bodies represent some of the most heard voices on the ground, with their organization and experience creating sustainable solutions for long-term reform. ARI recognizes the importance of these actors in political transitions across the region, and their role in organizing demands and representing citizens in political processes. In 2020-2022, we are working with these new professional associations and unions during political transitions in order to better understand their organizational capacities and constraints, their ability to achieve legitimate representation, and the ways in which they can negotiate political transitions while working towards enacting more participatory politics across MENA. We will also convene key leaders from these groups for cross-regional exchange and the sharing of good practices, and work on formulating policy recommendations for external actors who plan to support these new and reemerging groups of organized labour.