Head of Libya’s High National Electoral Commission (HNEC), Emad Al-Din Al-Sayeh, revealed that the commission cannot conduct voting abroad, unless it obtains a permit and official legislation is adopted.
In televised statements, Al-Sayeh confirmed that the process of updating the voter register is targeting citizens who had not registered in the previous elections, and that “every voter who did not take the initiative to receive the election card will not be able to participate in the electoral process. Everyone whose name was registered in the previous elections can participate in the upcoming elections.”
The HNEC head identified two missing links in the current process, the first of which was the issue of raising awareness, and the role of independent civil associations and organisations and independent civil institutions. He claimed that civil society organisations were weak, and do not have the necessary capabilities, to perform their awareness-raising duties regarding the elections, which are set for 24 December.
He pointed out that the second missing link is the role of parties, which he described as an “absent role” in the electoral process. This, he claimed represents a missing link that affected voter turnout, given that the role of parties is “supposed to be through linking the electoral administration and the voter.”
Al-Sayeh stressed that the commission will not abandon the Libyan people and their desire to hold the elections as scheduled, as “the date of December 24 has become a symbol to ensure the future of Libya.” He underscored the necessity of people participating in the elections, as the country remains at a historic crossroads, and noted that the commission registered 35,000 new voters on Saturday.