Tough living conditions have prompted some Libyans to feel nostalgic about the era of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, seeing it as a time of security. However, others remember the oppression and executions that characterized his 42-year rule.
This divide in views on Gaddafi—who was killed and displayed in a refrigerator in Misrata—remains strong among his supporters and opponents, even 13 years after his death.
Opponents of Gaddafi blame his regime for Libya’s current political crises and difficult living conditions.
Abdel Raouf Betalmal, a leader in the Libya Al-Namah party, said discussions about Gaddafi evoke sadness among many Libyans, who regret not benefiting from the country’s oil wealth during his rule.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Betalmal stated that Gaddafi “left no significant development or major projects, nor did he nurture political talent. Instead, he drained Libya in every way, leaving little for Libyans to remember positively.”
Responding to those who argue that goods were affordable and available during Gaddafi’s time, Betalmal criticized this view, saying they overlook his role in the spread of weapons, as he opened his stockpiles in the final months of his rule to try to suppress the uprising against him.
Libyan political analyst Hussein Al-Suwaidi, a supporter of Gaddafi, believes several reasons lead Libyans to remember and mourn the late leader. He points to a sense of national sovereignty as a key factor.
“Within months of the September 1 Revolution in 1969, British and US forces were expelled from Libya, along with over 30,000 Italians who controlled much of the agricultural land,” Al-Suwaidi told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The analyst also criticized the belief that nostalgia for Gaddafi’s era is mainly about low food prices.
“While that's true, there was also an increase in average income during his time,” he stated.
He noted that Gaddafi’s legacy is still relevant today, as many ministers in the rival governments of eastern and western Libya are recognized as former officials in his regime.
Al-Suwaidi argues that this counters claims that Gaddafi ignored leadership development and education.
