The Security Dilemma in post-Arab Spring Libya

Carlo Magnani

About Fellows Chapters Consult

Apply

Home/Working Groups/Security Policy & Defence/The Security Dilemma in post-Arab Spring Libya

The Security Dilemma in post-Arab Spring Libya

The impact of the Arab Spring in Libya: the Security Dilemma and the Fragmentation of the State

Key Insights

How did the Arab Spring shape Libya’s long-term political fragmentation and insecurity?
The 2011 uprising dismantled weak state institutions, triggering a security dilemma where militias and foreign actors filled the power vacuum, reinforcing division.
Libya’s instability persists due to entrenched militia power and external interference, making unified governance and democratic transition unlikely without structural change.

By Carlo Magnani

28 April 2026 · 21:06 CETUpdated 21 June 2026 · 18:02 CETIssue I

Hybrid warfare refers to the interaction of militias and foreign actors in Libya that has fragmented state authority and prevented the consolidation of a unified government since 2011.

Documents: 📂 Source Document

Carlo Magnani Young Italian graduate who obtained a Bachelor’s degree in International Sciences and European Institutions from the University of Milan. Throughout his studies, he developed a strong academic interest and competence in international relations, with particular attention to international security and defence. He wrote a Bachelor’s thesis about the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and he is now enrolled in a bilingual Master’s program in International Relations at ULB (Brussels).

Cite this brief

Magnani, C. (2026). The Security Dilemma in post-Arab Spring Libya. EPIS Insight · Security Policy & Defence.

/PDF