Libya Envoys Reach Election Agreement

Envoys representing rival factions in Libya have reached an agreement on the legal procedures necessary to finally hold presidential and legislative elections, according to statements made by both sides on the morning of June 7th.

Since the 2011 uprising that overthrew former dictator Muammar Qaddafi, Libya has been plagued by a series of intermittent conflicts spanning over a decade. Presently, the nation remains divided between an interim government in Tripoli, located in the western region, and another administration in the east, supported by military leader Khalifa Haftar.

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Though elections in Libya were initially scheduled for December 2021, there were too many disagreements between the opposing governments that prevented any elections taking place. These disagreements mainly revolved around what candidates would be allowed to run for office, according to Arab News.

Following more than two weeks of negotiations in Morocco, representatives from both sides have reached a deal; Jalal Chouehdi, the representative of the eastern-based parliament, told reporters “The members … have agreed the laws for presidential and legislative elections.”

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However, they have not yet officially signed any agreement, indicating that there may still be some unresolved differences, even though Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita,  assured that the agreement would be signed “in the coming days.” 

The specific date for the elections has not yet been announced, but there are hopes for an election before the end of the year. 

Arab News