This case study explores the evolving relationship between Türkiye and Libya through five pivotal turning points shaped by the influence of international peace and security organisations, namely the UN and the NATO. Beginning with Türkiye’s role in the UN discussions on Libyan independence (1948–1951), the analysis demonstrates how the UN’s normative discourse on peace and security was overshadowed by the hegemonic interests of its permanent members. The second turning point, Libya’s support for Türkiye during the Cyprus crisis (1974), highlights how bilateral solidarity emerged in the context of contested international legitimacy. NATO’s intervention in Libya (2011) represents a third critical juncture, revealing the contradictions between the organisation’s humanitarian discourse and its practical alignment with Western strategic interests. The final two turning points, the 2019 Maritime Agreement and the 2019 Security and Military Agreement, illustrate how Türkiye and Libya redefined their partnership to counterbalance regional and international pressures. By analysing these cases through the lens of critical security theory, the study conceptualises influence as a process driven by knowledge, power, and hegemony, with the potential either to reinforce domination or to foster emancipation. The findings reveal that while international organisations claim to promote peace and security, in practice they often serve as instruments of hegemonic control. Türkiye and Libya’s engagements, however, demonstrate both resistance to and utilisation of these structures in pursuit of their national and regional interests. The study concludes by arguing that only when theoretical discourse and practical implementation converge can international organisations contribute to emancipatory outcomes in the MENA region.