New Italian government brings uncertainty for Libya
After the March 4 elections in Italy, a new government could be formed with new policies on migration and Libya.
Italy went to the polls March 4 and overwhelmingly voted for populist parties. While a government has yet to be formed, Italian-Libyan relations could be set for some real changes.
Italy has been deeply invested in Libya in recent years, largely due to the immigration issue. Thousands of migrants and refugees set sail from Libyan shores to Italy each year. Over 4,740 people crossed the sea in January alone, while the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported 119,000 landed there last year. Italy deployed additional troops to counter migration and increase security last year, bringing their total deployment to 400.
