How Libya turned gridlock and polarization into a way of life

Outlet: Arab News

Language: English

Abstract: Libya has descended into a state of “dysfunctionism,” where political gridlock, kleptocracy, and perpetual crisis serve as the framework of governance rather than symptoms of collapse. Since 2011, competing factions have entrenched themselves within key state institutions, such as the Central Bank of Libya, transforming critical resources into tools for maintaining power and perpetuating instability. This deliberate strategy enables ruling elites to manipulate resources, deter reformers, and exploit international interventions.

International efforts to address Libya’s crisis often focus on temporary fixes, leaving deeper structural issues unaddressed. These interventions inadvertently reinforce the dysfunction, as Libya’s ruling elite exploits them to maintain control. Access to oil revenues remains a central prize in this political tug-of-war, further exacerbated by the international community’s reluctance to impose stringent financial controls. The result is a self-propagating system of corruption and inefficiency, stifling progress and deepening public disillusionment.

Libya’s dysfunctionism highlights how systemic crises can become entrenched as a governance model. Until this cycle is broken, Libya will remain trapped in a loop of collapse and pseudo-reconstruction, with its democratic aspirations overshadowed by the intractability of entrenched power.

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