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Libya Parliament debates proposals to move forwards with elections

December 29, 2021 at 10:28 am

People stage a demonstration to protest the election laws and the attempt to hold elections without a Constitution, on 30 November 2021 in Tripoli, Libya. [Hazem Turkia – Anadolu Agency]

The Libyan House of Representatives convened on Tuesday to debate proposals on how to move forward after the elections originally slated for 24 December had been postponed.

Parliament Speaker-designate Fawzi Al-Nuwairi presented several proposals submitted by lawmakers regarding the elections, including postponing the elections for six months, and conducting an expanded dialogue between the various Libyan parties.

The proposals also included asking the Electoral Commission to submit an explanatory letter about its statement regarding the impossibility of holding the elections on schedule and the proposal to defer them to 24 January 2022.

Al-Nuwairi demanded that the commission clarifies the compelling reasons that prevented the elections from taking place, pointing out that the presumed obstacles that prevent the elections from taking place aim to confuse voters.

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He also criticised the parliament’s “hasty” issuance of the election law, which came after the dialogue forum had failed to reach consensus on the constitutional framework and laws.

Meanwhile, Parliament spokesman Abdullah Belihaq said the parliament decided during a session held on Monday in Tobruk to summon the High National Elections Commission and question it about the obstacles that prevented the elections from taking place on time.

He added that the parliament had also reviewed a number of reports, including the report of the parliamentary committee in charge of communicating with the election commission, and reports of a confidential nature by the General Intelligence and the Ministry of Interior.