Libya rivals test a new path towards unity, 15 years after Gadaffi downfall

What the report says

Libya’s competing political and military camps are exploring a limited path toward cooperation, even as the country remains split more than 15 years after Muammar Gaddafi was ousted. Al Jazeera reports that in April, Libya’s rival legislatures approved a shared budget of 190 billion dinars, or nearly $30 billion, marking the first such agreement in over a decade. The move is being presented as a practical step that could encourage coordination between the eastern and western authorities.

The article traces how the 2011 uprising led to rival institutions, repeated conflict and failed election plans. It notes that the last national election to produce a peaceful transfer of power was in 2012, while later political disputes, armed clashes and aborted polls deepened the divide. The current split centers on the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity and an east-based parliament and aligned administration, with both sides publicly endorsing elections but disagreeing over rules, candidacies and future authority.

Al Jazeera says signs of cooperation have also appeared outside politics. In April, eastern and western forces trained together in Sirte during a U.S.-led exercise near the ceasefire line. At the same time, instability persists inside each camp, with recent killings of senior figures in Tripoli and Benghazi underscoring continued insecurity.

The report also points to economic pressure as a possible driver of compromise. Oil exports, power cuts, fuel shortages and currency weakness have strained daily life, while repeated blockades in past years caused heavy losses. The broader question, the article says, is whether bargaining over economic interests can eventually translate into a political settlement.