Summary
The Arab Spring blew across Libya and carried with it not
only the dictatorship of Colonel Gaddafi but also the entire State
apparatus. In civil war since 2011, this country has not been able
to successfully complete its political transition, despite the holding
of two national elections, and has been deeply fragmented. This
failure of a smooth regime change has had a very high cost. It was
first the Libyan people who paid a high price. It was then Libya's
neighbours who had to deal with the regional destabilisation that
followed. It is also the migrants who, like many Libyans, are victims
of inhumane treatment. Finally, it is Europeans who have been confronted
with a high security risk and an influx of migrants.
In this context, recent developments on the ground, as well
as the actions of the United Nations Support Mission for Libya,
point to improvements, in particular through the relaunching of
peace negotiations and the construction of an embryonic State. To
what extent could the Council of Europe participate in these efforts which
concern a neighbouring country? This is the purpose of this report.
