On Saturday, Libyan Parliament Speaker, Ageela Saleh claimed that “external interference is the cause of political instability in the country.”
In an interview with Al-Sharq TV, Saleh added that “the Parliament is the only legislative authority in the country that has the right to take decisions and enact laws, and that the High Council of State (HCS) has an advisory role only.”
He pointed out that the “constitutional document for organizing the electoral process must be subject to a popular referendum, before it is approved.” As well as adding that “the conflict of personal interests and external interference led to the continuation of the transitional stages in the country, and the disruption of the electoral process.”
Saleh expressed his rejection of holding elections under the supervision of the Government of National Unity (GNU), headed by Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba.
“The elections are the only solution to end the crises in Libya,” he concluded.
Earlier this month, Saleh said that he “sees an amendment to the Constitutional Declaration as a constitutional basis, upon which the Presidential and Parliamentary elections will be held.”
During a session in Benghazi, Saleh continued: “We contacted the HCS, and they received a copy of the amendment proposal from us. We hope that they will support this amendment, to achieve the interest of the country and take into account all the political and economic conditions of society.”
He called on MP’s to “work on the speedy preparation of the constitutional basis,” pointing to “conspiracies against the Parliament, which will not abandon the country’s unity, and rejects foreign interference.”
Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations, each backed by rogue militias and foreign governments.
On 10 February 2022, the Libyan Parliament announced the unanimous appointment of Fathi Bashagha as the new Prime Minister. But Dbaiba warned that the appointment of a new interim government could lead to war and chaos in the country. He renewed his pledge to only hand power over to an elected government.
