The normative actorness of the European Union: The case study of Libya

The Libyan state has long been in an unstable domestic situation, which is directly linked to the Arab Spring phenomenon of 2011. In response to these circumstances, the European Union seeks to develop its relations with Libya within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy's Southern Neighbourhood, which builds on this concept's 2011 and 2015 revisions. As a normative actor, the European Union's primary focus in Libya is on developing support in the areas of democracy and human rights, security and stabilisation, and development cooperation. Although the European Union's initiatives in the country are evident, the question arises as to whether these efforts have resulted in a deepening of the crisis itself. This is also linked to the question of what features of normative power the European Union displays in Libya. This thesis analyses the European Union's normative power in Libya in the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy between 2011-2018 in the three aforementioned areas of its primary engagement, reflecting on its objectives, the means used, and the actual impact on the domestic situation.