UN envoy to Libya in talks with all sides for elections

ISTANBUL

The United Nations envoy to Libya held talks on Sunday with all relevant actors to press for long-awaited elections.

Abdoulaye Bathily first met with the chairman of Libya’s High National Election Commission (HNEC), Emad al-Sayeh.

“We stressed the need to finalize an implementable legal framework for national elections and emphasized HNEC's role in advising on electoral matters in the legislative track,” Bathily said on X, formerly known as Twitter, sharing photos from the meeting.

“Dr. Al-Sayeh also provided updates on preparations for the municipal elections, set to take place early next year. I commend the HNEC for their commitment to enhancing their systems for the implementation of the electoral processes,” he added.

Later, Bathily met with the leader of the Libyan Supreme Council of State, Mohamed Takala.

“We agreed on the need to complete the legal framework for elections, taking into account the observations made by the main parties to make the electoral laws enforceable,” he said.

“We also stressed the need for the main parties to engage in constructive dialogue to reach a political agreement on contentious issues related to the conduct of elections.”

Oil-rich Libya has remained in turmoil since 2011, when longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi was ousted after four decades in power.

The situation has worsened since last March, when the East Libya-based parliament appointed a new government led by former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha. But Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, one of the two figures claiming power and authority in Libya, insists he will cede authority only to a government that comes through an "elected parliament," raising fears that Libya could slip back into a civil war.