Libyan and Italian officials discuss municipal elections process
Libyan and Italian officials met on October 26th to discuss support for the upcoming stages of municipal elections across the North African country, according to the Libya Review.
Chairman Emad Al-Sayeh of Libya’s High National Electoral Commission (HNEC) held a meeting with Italian ambassador Gianluca Alberini in the capital city of Tripoli. The talks focused on the third phase of municipal elections, which are expected to be held in the next few months.
Both officials recognised the model example of transparency and organisation between the commission, local authorities, and international partners that was set during the first electoral phase.
Technical and administrative preparations for the next phase were discussed as both parties aim to replicate the high standards of fairness and accountability that defined the first.
Alberini lauded the HNEC’s professionalism and emphasised how crucial it is to secure Libya’s democratic transition. He assured Al-Sayeh of Italy’s strong support for the commission and other national institutions that are integral to a secure and smooth transitional process.
Italy’s optimism towards a democratic future for Libya is shared by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which praised the HNEC for the sense of trust it is gradually instilling into the Libyan electorate.
When contrasted to past democratic efforts in Libya, the voting process for local councils has progressed with relative stability so far. Only 16 out of the 107 municipal elections that have been completed were delayed due to security concerns, which have since been carried out without a hitch.
UNSMIL also commended local security personnel for their exceptional efforts towards fastening an “orderly and secure” environment which facilitated the smooth electoral process.
The mission recently reiterated its support for the HNEC to secure “inclusive and credible elections that reflect the will of the Libyan people and strengthen the foundations of democratic governance.”
Despite the considerable progress made, conflicting interests and internal resentment towards the UN-backed political roadmap continue to underpin Libya’s transitional process.
On October 23rd, the Libyan government expressed its “deepest condemnation and concern” in a letter to the UN regarding the international body’s “blatant interventions in the internal affairs of the Libyan state and its political institutions.”
It also accused UNSMIL of infringing on Libyan sovereignty by failing to adhere to the principle of impartiality and adopting a politicised stance when working with the judiciary. It confirmed that it would carry out a “comprehensive review of the advisory body’s composition” and will back the restructuring of the mission.
Libya Review, Maghrebi.org
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