Italy’s colonial legacy debated as ties with Libya deepen

Debate continues over Italy’s colonial legacy in Libya, yet political and economic ties with the former coloniser are growing ever stronger.

According to Libya Herald, on March 24th, the Municipality of Tripoli Centre launched a public survey asking Libyans whether to rename two major colonial-era architectural landmarks: Galleria De Bono (1931) and Galleria Mariotti (1950s).

The debate focuses on whether such landmarks should continue to bear the name of Emilio De Bono, a general from the colonial period; he is regarded by many as a repressive fascist figure whose legacy should not be celebrated.

Supporters of renaming argue that it is time to build a new post-colonial Libyan identity by honouring more contemporary figures.

As discussions unfold over removing the names of colonial figures, and ties between Italy and Libya are tightening, both politically and economically.

On February 9th, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi travelled to Tripoli, where he met his Libyan counterpart Imad Trabelsi and the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdulhamid Dabaiba.

Similarly, on February 11th, Piantedosi travelled to Benghazi, where he met Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, highlighting Italy’s engagement with both sides of Libya’s political divide.

Italian officials reiterated that managing demographic pressures and controlling migration flows remain key conditions for advancing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Italy and Libya—a point already emphasised during Piantedosi’s October 30th visit.

Discussions in Benghazi focused on migration control and the role of the Libyan National Army in securing Libya’s southern borders with Egypt, Sudan, and Chad.

Economic ties are also deepening; Italy’s energy giant Eni recently announced two new gas discoveries in Libya totalling more than one trillion cubic feet.

Eni has been present in Libya since 1959 and remains the leading international operator, with equity production of around 162,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025.

Furthermore, an agreement for the printing and supply of textbooks for the 2026–2027 academic year was signed at the Libyan Prime Minister’s office on March 9th between the Educational Curricula and Research Centre and the Italian company Rotolito.

Although Italian colonialism formally ended decades ago, Italy’s presence in Libya remains as strong.

The debate over renaming colonial-era landmarks may reflect a desire to redefine national identity, but it arguably raises broader questions about the management of the country’s key resources and its ongoing reliance on foreign partners, a process further complicated by Libya’s deep political divisions.

Libya Herald, Maghrebi.org