The Effects of the Elections Held During the Civil War on the Nation Building Process: An Evaluation of the 2014 Parliamentary Elections in Libya

Abstract

In the article, the effects of the elections that took place during or just after the civil war on democracy, lasting stability and social peace will be examined. In this context, the 2014 Libyan parliamentary elections were chosen as the main case. A comprehensive analysis of the Libyan example is important in terms of understanding the origins of unstable and unsuccessful states, especially in the Middle East and Africa, although it differs from the literature in the field. The qualitative research method was used in the study. In this direction, first of all, a theoretical framework will be drawn, and depending on the development and content of the conflict environment in Libya, the reasons for which the elections are a polarizing factor and what kind of security risks they bring will be analyzed in the article. Under the sub-headings of loyalty, legitimacy and security, the 2014 parliamentary elections hindered the political reconciliation process, especially Libya's social and military integration, is handled with detailed examples. Based on this, it is argued that the stakeholders who came to the fore in the political scene after the Libyan civil war saw the elections as a means of reaching power, and in this context, the election results created a legitimacy crisis that triggered the disunity.