The role of bureaucracy in public policy making in Libya

Abstract

The study of the political– bureaucratic relationship has seen remarkable developments and received considerable attention in developed and developing countries, but it has so far been ignored in the context of Libya. Thus, this research will fill a gap in the literature and further understanding of the topic of the political– bureaucratic relationship in Libya. This article argues that the role of the bureaucracy in policymaking is undermined by excessive political influence, the bureaucracy’s lack of effective engagement with civil society and a decline in bureaucratic capacities in terms of policy support and policy management. Bureaucrats lose objectivity in policymaking as undue political inference. Policy-relevant insights from the community do not feed into policy processes because of political regime the reluctance to engage regularly with civil society organisations, and the media. This study makes suggestions as to provide input to the debate on how a new role for the bureaucratic in Libya can be defined in policy processes.