Libya has been divided into two parallel states since the civil war began in 2014, with a UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east led by Khalifa Haftar. Recent diplomatic efforts, particularly from the United States, aim to unify the country by negotiating a power-sharing agreement between the two dominant families: the Haftars and the Dbeibahs. The proposed deal would allow the Dbeibahs to retain the prime minister's office while the Haftars would lead the Presidency Council, further entrenching their control over state institutions. Despite the potential for a unified government, many Libyans express skepticism about the legitimacy of such an arrangement, fearing it would merely reinforce family rule rather than promote broader political inclusion. The U.S. has intervened directly, with Massad Boulos leading the initiative, but past failures in similar negotiations raise concerns about the sustainability of any agreement reached. The ongoing factionalism in Libya, coupled with the historical context of failed international interventions, complicates the prospects for lasting peace and governance in the country.
A hurried power-sharing plan may ease the deadlock, but a family bargain backed from abroad risks deepening old fractures For most of the past decade, the idea of Libya’s three main governing bodies sitting down and agreeing on anything felt almost theoretical. The country has operated as two parallel states since the civil war of […]
The United States should heed its own track record of backing individuals in conflict-affected states.