NEW YORK: The United Nations (UN) special envoy for Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, announced his plans to escalate negotiations with the country’s conflicting parties in order to reach “a final settlement” in the next few months, addressing the contentious issues obstructing the long-postponed elections in the troubled North African nation.
During a briefing to the UN Security Council, Bathily emphasized that prolonging the current status quo “is fraught with disaster for Libya and its neighbors.” He stressed the importance of increasing pressure on the parties involved, presenting a united front, and taking action “to remove spoilers.”
Bathily described the draft laws for presidential and parliamentary elections, agreed upon by a committee composed of representatives from Libya’s rival legislative bodies on June 6, as “an important step forward,” although insufficient to resolve the most disputed issues and ensure successful elections.
He identified four key politically contested issues within the draft laws: eligibility criteria for presidential candidates, mandatory second-round voting even if a candidate secures over 50 percent of the required votes for victory, the absence of parliamentary elections if the first round of presidential elections fails, and the establishment of a new interim government prior to elections.
Without compromise on these issues, Bathily cautioned that the electoral process could reach a dead end, as seen in 2021, leading to further polarization and destabilization within the country.
Political Crisis in Libya
Libya, a nation rich in oil resources, descended into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that ousted and killed longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. In the ensuing turmoil, the country became divided between rival administrations in the east and west, backed by rogue militias and foreign governments.
The ongoing political crisis in Libya stems from the failure to hold elections on December 24, 2021, and Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s refusal to step down from his position in the transitional government based in Tripoli. In response, the eastern-based parliament appointed rival Prime Minister Fathy Bashagha, who has been striving to establish his government in Tripoli.
Bathily emphasized that the political process in Libya has reached a critical stage, underscoring that “successful elections require not just a legal framework, but also a political agreement that ensures buy-in and inclusion of all major stakeholders.”
