On Saturday, Libya’s National Security Advisor, Ibrahim Bushnaf presented a solution for the ongoing constitutional crisis to UN Envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily.
In a letter to Bathily, he put forward the idea of “establishing a task force composed of members from the Libyan National Security Council, experts from the UN Mission, and the Constitutional Drafting Assembly to draft the constitution.” This initiative is intended to expedite the approval of necessary constitutional amendments, based on the draft sanctioned by the Assembly.
The proposal also suggests making the amended draft available for a public referendum, after resolving disputable aspects, with prior consent from the Parliament and the High Council of State (HCS).
This version would serve as an interim constitution for Libya for a span of ten years, following which modifications could be made, or a brand new constitution established.
He also indicated that a task force was set up by the National Security Council to review the current draft issued by the Constitutional Drafting Assembly, which was charged with the development of a permanent constitution.
The team’s assignment also involved studying societal apprehensions and opposition, and identifying the articles that could be revised, based on the “Cairo Agreement draft between the Parliament and the HCS.”
The official expressed optimism that “the constitutional body will address the demands for amendments of certain articles, given the national inclination of its members and their determination to hold a constitutional referendum at the earliest.”
In his proposal, Bushnaf stressed the need to “establish a permanent constitution for the country, to lay the foundation for the state and its institutions, organize constitutional and legal relations, safeguard rights and freedoms, and lay the groundwork for building state structures. This would ultimately grant legal status and legitimacy to institutional operations.”
