Following allegations that surfaced yesterday in the media that the US was proposing a new schedule for Presidential elections that would extend it to Autumn 2022, a consortium of Libyan political parties and movements issued a joint communiqué this morning warning against “ongoing attempts to obstruct and disrupt the holding of the upcoming simultaneous direct Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.”
The communiqué, which was signed by 12 Libyan political parties and movements, said that “confiscating the inherent right of the Libyan people to choose who represent them and assume the tasks of managing the Libyan State” would have serious repercussions that would lead to renewed violence and anarchy across Libya.
AlMarsad publishes here the English translation of the full letter which was issued in Arabic.
Statement by Libyan Political Parties and Organizations Regarding the Elections
Libyan political parties, blocs, political forces and movements, signatories to this communiqué, follow with great concern and caution the ongoing attempts to obstruct and disrupt the holding of the upcoming simultaneous direct Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, and delay the issuance of the necessary legislation to implement them on their scheduled date on 24 December 2021, and warn of the consequences of this and the repercussions of confiscating the inherent right of the Libyan people to choose who represent them and assume the tasks of managing the Libyan State.
The political parties, blocs, political forces and movements affirm that the executive, legislative, and incumbent oversight bodies have no legitimacy whatsoever as their tenure and mandate are legally expired, and that the confidence of the Libyan people in them has been completely lost. Consequently, their mandate can no longer be accepted or extended beyond 24 December 2021. Therefore the ongoing miserable attempts to prolong the life of these bodies will be categorically rejected by the people, and this will further complicate and exacerbate the volatile political and security situation in the forthcoming months, and may be a major reason for a renewed pan-Libya violence, fighting, and wide spread anarchy in the country, God forbid.
The political parties, blocs, political forces and movements, hereby, reaffirm the importance of electing the Head of State through direct suffrage by the people without any procrastination or obstruction whatsoever, to preserve the unity of the country and ensure the smooth running and organization of the work of executive authorities, and to prevent a recurrence of the disastrous results of overlapping competencies between the legislative and executive authorities that the Libyans have been suffering from for a decade, and that any internal or external attempt to disrupt the second round of electing the President of the State, should the need arise, exceeds four weeks, shall be a deemed as a perpetuation of the status quo that the Libyan people will categorically reject, so as not to be a pretext for further postponement or cancellation.
While we stress the importance of the international community standing with Libya and its support for its unity, sovereignty and stability, and for the choice of its democratization path, and for the return of the right to the people as the source of authority, we wholeheartedly reject that this support be contrary to the will and aspirations of the Libyan people, or in concordance with the position of an opportunist clique hat has spoiled the political scene, and wants to perpetuate its illegitimate monopoly of power.
God Save Libya
Signatories
| 1 | Civil Democratic Party | 8 | National Movement for Democratization |
| 2 | Ihya Libya Movement | 9 | December 24 Movement |
| 3 | National Forces Alliance | 10 | Libya Elects its President Movement |
| 4 | Center National Party | 11 | Derna Women’s Union |
| 5 | Youth Tomorrow Party | 12 | Libyan Network for Supporting and Empowering Women |
| 6 | National Will Gathering | ||
| 7 | National Movement for Libya |
Issued on 30 August 2021
© ALMARSAD ENGLISH (2021)
US Proposes Elections To Be Completed by September 2022; Dbaiba Pressuring for Extension
An article by The Africa Report claims to have seen documentation that the US has proposed a “staggered Libyan presidential election” with first elections on 24 December and then the second round in Autumn of 2022. The article claims that this is a bid to salvage the Libyan Political Dialogue (LPDF) Roadmap, but news of this proposal is likely to cause anger among the Libyan public, most of whom demand elections after 2.8 million voters registered with Elections Committee.
(LIBYA, 29 August 2021) – The Africa Report revealed a proposal it claims to have been proposed by the US which it has presented to the other P3+2 countries—namely, France, Britain, Germany and Italy— which “would have Libyans commit to a first round of presidential elections on 24 December, along with parliamentary elections, and then a second and final round on 15 September 2022.”
The report said according to officials that the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdul Hamid Dbaiba, “has publicly insisted that he wants to hold elections on time, although the UN-mediated roadmap would bar him and other office holders from running” but that “privately, he has resisted the idea and has pushed for an extension since his appointment last February in in a UN-mediated dialogue.”
It also claimed that during a meeting in June with the French President Emmanuel Macron, Dbaiba was “forthright in his opposition to elections in December.” Furthermore, it said that Dbaiba has “also relayed the same message to other countries, although not directly to the US, which had insisted on sticking to the schedule.”
Furthermore, the Africa Report said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush that Dbaiba should stop sending “mixed messages.”
The report claims to have see a new US proposal that it “notes” opposition to the 24 December elections but certain parties and groups, and therefore “suggests that after the first round, the remaining candidates should complete lists of presidents, vice presidents and deputy presidents, if they jointly won at least 10% the vote in the first round,” and then they “would have to commit to monthly televised debates addressing the economy, pandemic and other challenges.”
The article said, the “US suggested the Dbaiba be allowed to run in the election, but that he, and any other office holder, would have to quit if he makes it to the second round.” According to the US proposal, the Parliament would have a month to decide on a “new interim executive” and an election on 22 September for a second chamber of parliament, and a constitutional referendum by the end of 2022.
Candidates above the age of 21 can run in the first round, but the new parliament would prepare a constitutional basis before the second round, according to the document”, said the report.
This proposal, according to the article, is opposed by both France and Egypt who want to see simultaneous elections on 24 December.
News of this “US proposal” was met with anger and ridicule by the Libyan public and expert commentators. Mohamed Eljarh, a leading Libyan analysts said on his twitter page: “Another disastrous proposal! this time by the United States. The aim is to find ways around the political roadmap/UNSC2570 & deprive the Libyan people of their right to choose their leaders in the hope of appeasing political elite/figures who refuse give up power.”
© ALMARSAD ENGLISH (2021)
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