Member of the Libyan Parliament, Ali Al-Soul stated that the organisation of legislative elections is within the competence of the Parliament. He also noted that the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) is the only authority allowed to conduct the elections, and it is currently working with the Parliament.
In a statement to the Sputnik news agency, Al-Soul explained that delaying the legislative elections for 30 days after the presidential elections, enhances the chances of holding and recognizing the elections. He added that Libya needs a president elected by the Libyan people, to bring an end to the current chaos.
The MP said that if parliamentary elections were held first, the presidential elections could be obstructed. “This means repeating the same current scenario, with power being seized by multiple parties,” he noted.
He also stated that in the event of simultaneous elections, some parties could choose to not recognize the new president. This would mean the existence of a new parliament, a current parliament, and an elected president, and with it, a deepening of the crisis. He stressed that holding the presidential elections first aims to enhance stability, and unify the Libyan state.
With regard to the High Council of State’s (HCS) objection, he stated that the Muslim Brotherhood is pushing for parliamentary elections without addressing the presidential elections, “which will not contribute to the stability of Libya.”
On Tuesday, the Spokesman of the Libyan Parliament announced that the legislative elections have been postponed until January 2022, instead of being held on 24 December as scheduled.
He added that holding the presidential elections was the priority, leading to the delay in the legislative ballot. “In recent years the country has not been able to stabilize itself through a parliamentary system. It was necessary to organize the presidential elections as soon as possible,” he said.