"The middle class has been virtually erased in Libya over the past 15 years, and I would say especially in recent months. Those who participated in the revolution and who suffered the most over these 15 years are increasingly less inclined to reflect on that date." Claudia Gazzini, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group (ICG), underlines "Nova Agency" How dates have historically served as a tool for political legitimacy in Libya. "It's only natural that February 17th, the date the 2011 uprising began, is also maintained as a symbolic moment," observes Gazzini. In a country lacking shared monuments and an institutional re-elaboration of recent history, the analyst states, "dates remain the only symbolic embodiment of the revolution."

Source: Libya Today February 17, 2026 07:03 UTC