Cairo will host an upcoming meeting between members of the Libyan Parliament, and the High Council of State (HCS) under the auspices of the United Nations. This is to discuss the constitutional basis for holding Libya’s elections.
HCS member, Ahmed Lanqi said in press statements that they would arrive in Cairo on Tuesday.
He added that 24 members are participating in the meetings, with 12 members from each council, alongside the UN Adviser, Stephanie Williams.
On 22 March, Williams held a consultative session with HCS representatives, which was snubbed by MP’s.
Notably, the Libyan Parliament announced that it formed a committee to hold talks with the HCS, to discuss amending the draft constitution in Cairo.
This aims to end the current blockage in the political track. The committee includes 12 MP’s to review the points of contention in the draft constitution conducted by the Constituent Assembly, and to make the necessary amendments.
The Parliament stressed that it would adhere to the 12th constitutional amendment, and the deadlines set for the completion of its tasks.
However, Parliament’s procedures are still in dispute with the HCS, which refuses to change the government of Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, or amend the constitutional declaration. The HCS is also demanding a constitutional path first, in order to hold Parliamentary elections as soon as possible.
The disagreement and political division over laws and constitutional amendments, was one of the reasons for the failure of the Presidential elections in December. The dispute maintains the current ambiguity in Libya. Especially regarding the fate of the two competing governments, and the future of the elections.
According to the constitutional declaration, if the committee fails to implement the constitutional amendments within 45 days, “a committee formed by Parliament and the HCS shall, within a month, prepare a constitutional rule and binding electoral laws.”
Member of the HCS, Abdel-Salam Al-Safrani stated that the initiative of the UN Envoy to Libya, Stephanie Williams, “has reached a dead end.”
Al-Safrani added that the only way out of the political impasse, is “through the 12th constitutional amendment, or approving the Libyan Parliaments initiative to form a new government and draft a constitution. This will then be to put it to a referendum, at a later date.”
“This is the best settlement that can be implemented, and lead us to elections,” Al-Safrani concluded.