Libyan MP: Security “Unrealistic” while Mercenaries Remain

Libyan MP, Misbah Douma stated that “anyone who talks about security in the presence of mercenaries and foreign forces is unrealistic, and disconnected from reality.”

On Tuesday, the 6+6 Joint Committee, entrusted by the Libyan Parliament and the High Council of State (HCS) with the drafting of electoral laws, called for the formation of a unified government that paves the way for holding elections across the country.

This meeting, which was held in Morocco, aimed at drafting laws to organize the elections, in accordance with the roadmap announced by the UN Envoy, Abdoulaye Bathily in February.

In a statement read by the Head of the HCS delegation, Omar Buleifa said that the upcoming Presidential and legislative elections “will be held simultaneously.” He announced that they had “achieved complete consensus regarding the controversial points related to the process of electing a president for Libya, and the National Assembly.”

Buleifa added that they also “agreed on the mechanism of engaging the political parties in the coming Parliamentary elections, whether through party lists or individual candidates.”

He stated that “the next legislative authority will consist of two chambers, namely the Parliament and the Senate.”

Furthermore, significant headway has been made in determining the allocation of seats for both houses, ensuring fair representation for all Libyans.

This crucial step is seen as a significant contribution towards the long-awaited elections, which hold the promise of ending the years of chaos and instability in the country.

The announcement came after productive discussions during the two-day meeting in Morocco, with the aim of establishing a constitutional foundation for the upcoming Libyan elections.

The meeting is also a continuation of the series of meetings hosted by Morocco, bringing together different Libyan parties to deepen the dialogue on ways and means to resolve the crisis in this country in an approach that promotes the appropriate space for dialogue and constructive consultation.

Previous meetings have discussed technical aspects with the electoral commission and legal elements with the Attorney General, particularly with regard to issues related to candidates.

Notably, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) vowed that it will provide technical and logistical support to the Committee to establish electoral laws.

Bathily has previously urged the leaders of the two chambers to expedite the work of the committee, and publish a timebound work programme.

“For elections to take place this year, the electoral laws must be completed in time for High National Elections Commission (HNEC) to begin implementing the electoral process by early July,” Bathily said in his brief to the UN Security Council in March.