Libyan elections postponed due to "obstacles in the electoral process"

24 December 2021 was to be a historic date for Libya. The Forum for Political Dialogue in Libya (FDPL) has been working for months with the mediation of numerous countries and the United Nations to facilitate the difficult path that should lead Tripoli to the long-awaited elections that would materialise the democratic transition it has been dreaming of for years. However, recent events have led to an escalation of tension that makes it impossible to hold the elections scheduled for tomorrow, the 24th. There is some speculation about a possible new date - 24 January 2022 has been suggested - but there is still no firm decision on the matter.

"After consulting the technical, judicial and security reports, we inform that it is impossible to hold the elections on the date of 24 December 2021". With these words, Imad al Sayeh, president of the Libyan Electoral Commission, announced the postponement of the elections due to the numerous open fronts on various issues. From the power that the new prime minister would hold to the eligibility of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi or Abdul Hamid Dbeibe, as well as the instability that continues to hit the country, as demonstrated by the seizure of the Libyan government headquarters by an armed group just a week ago.

The same statement from Imad al Sayeh said that "Parliament will take the necessary steps to overcome the obstacles in the electoral process". The recently elected new UN mediation officer for Libya, Stephanie Williams, tweeted that she had met with members of the political forum and insisted on the need for "free, fair and credible elections". However, the postponement of polling day looks set to take longer than expected due to ongoing contradictions over certain candidates.

The current prime minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibé, took office with a promise to facilitate the road to the elections and, when the time came, he would not participate in the elections. But when the day came, he did not keep his word and decided to run for office, which is now rejected by a large part of the population. The other figure surrounded by controversy is Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the dictator's son, who was denied the possibility of standing as a candidate in the first instance by the Electoral Commission, only to have his appeal accepted by the Sebha court.

Electoral law should not allow Dbeibé's candidacy, but the reality is that, with only one day to go, the prime minister was among the eligible options. To this must be added the controversy surrounding Khalifa Haftar, Cyrenaica's strongman, who resigned his military post in order to comply with electoral law and be able to stand in the elections. In presenting his candidacy he sent a strong message that he intends to bring about the change his country has been demanding for years: "I call on all Libyans to make the right decision, one that they will not regret".

Haftar spent nearly 20 years in exile in the United States, from where, according to many analysts, he dedicated himself to fighting Gaddafi's dictatorial regime through collaboration with the CIA. In 2011 he returned to Libya via Egypt and three years later the dictatorship was over. Now, his intention is to lead the country in a transition that seems increasingly complicated and that, after many efforts, will not be able to achieve the desired goal of elections, at least for the time being.