Libya's ratification of Turkey maritime pact fuels split within Greece's ruling party

Libya’s legislative body gave its unanimous consent on Oct. 20 to a maritime boundary treaty with Turkey that had been abandoned a year earlier, reversing a prior decision to cut ties with Ankara. The accord, originally signed in 2019, has long been contested by Greece, Egypt and Greek Cyprus, who argue it infringes on their own maritime claims linked to offshore energy exploration. The approval sparked a sharp reaction inside Greece’s ruling New Democracy party: MP Dimitris Kalogeropoulos said the nation had "swallowed the bitter pill," while parliamentary spokesperson Dimitris Keridis described it as a "political defeat," remarks that unsettled the prime minister’s office.

Opposition parties joined the criticism, portraying the episode as evidence of a broader foreign-policy shortfall. In parallel, Greece and Egypt have signaled intent to negotiate an eastward extension of their exclusive economic zone agreement, aiming to bolster their positions in the contested waters.