The Chairman of the Libyan High National Elections Commission (HNEC), Emad Al-Sayeh, reiterated the Commission’s readiness to hold elections in the country.
In an interview with Turkey’s Anadolu news agency, Al-Sayeh noted that the HNEC is waiting the electoral laws that will be drafted by the 6+6 Joint Elections Committee. He pointed out that the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections before the end of 2023 is linked to the completion of 6+6 Committee for election laws before the end of this June.
Al-Sayeh called on the 6+6 Joint Elections Committee to take into account technical matters, so that the bills that will be issued are ideal. He also advised the Committee to “adopt both of lists and individual systems, in order to confirm the credibility of the results of the electoral process.”
Regarding the electoral process of the House of Representatives (HoR), the Libyan official suggested allocating 65% for the list system and 35% for the individual system.
With regard to the election of the Senate (Lower Chamber), the HNEC’s Chairman believes that “the individual system prevails in such cases, but it must be taken into account that it includes lists and individual systems.”
Al-Sayeh pointed out that the Commission submitted a request to the Government of National Unity (GNU) to allocate an estimated budget amounting to 203 million Libyan dinars (about $42 million USD). However, the HNEC is still awaiting the budget to be liquidated.
He explained that the budget is allocated for the elections of the head of state, the HoR, and the Senate.
Last week, the 6+6 Committee, which was 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 United Nations (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.”