France pushes for Libya elections

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian started a tour in Libya today to push ahead for a deal to prepare for elections in the war-torn country, Arabi21 reported.

Le Drian met with the internationally backed Chairman of the National Unity Government Fayez Al-Sarraj before meeting a number of active politicians.

On Sunday, Le Drian stressed on the importance hosting successful Libyan elections as per the agreements signed between the different parties in Paris in May.

“It is what Libyan citizens aspire to, who have registered massively in electoral lists,” he said during the meeting with Al-Sarraj in Tripoli.

READ: Libya factions agree to hold elections this year

Since the overthrow of the longtime Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in a popular uprising in 2011, Libya has been involved in a power struggle which has led to security chaos. There are currently three governments in the country with Brigadier General Khalifa Haftar heading one in Benghazi, the UN-backed Government of National Accord in Tripoli headed by Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj, and the Tobruk-based government of Abdullah Al-Thinni.

In May, Al-Sarraj pledged to organise parliamentarian and presidential elections on 10 December in an attempt to take the country out of the political and economic crises.

READ: Libyan rivals set for crunch Paris talks to break political deadlock

“I have come to remind [parties met in Paris] of their commitments and that calendar, and to share this approach with those who were not in Paris on May 29,” Le Drian said.

The French foreign minister announced a million-dollar donation to organise the elections in an effort to boost the efforts to host them.

“France supports the efforts of all of those who work in this direction,” he said.