On Thursday, the political team behind Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, expressed concerns over the continuous delay of the electoral process, initially set for late 2023.
In a statement, the team said that this delay “represents a failure on the part of the United Nations Support Mission (UNSMIL)and the international community, indicating a lack of commitment to resolving the political crisis in Libya.”
The statement recalled the 2021 consensus among Libyan factions, including political and military bodies, endorsing the electoral process. This consensus was disrupted by what the team refers to as a “sudden appearance of insurmountable obstacles,” leading to the suspension of the elections.
Despite the establishment of electoral laws agreed upon by both the Libyan Parliament, and the High Council of State (HCS), the Mission dismissed these laws as unacceptable, further complicating the process. As the year draws to an end without any sign of elections, the team now suspects a deliberate lack of interest in conducting elections, and an apparent indifference to the continuing chaos in Libya.
The statement by Saif Al-Islam’s team is a call to action for the Libyan people. It suggests that “it is now time to consider other, potentially difficult alternatives to address the country’s challenges.” The team emphasizes the need for “new strategies to rescue Libya from its prolonged state of corruption, mismanagement, and loss of sovereignty.”
The statement also criticizes UNSMIL for its failure to devise a political solution through elections. The team urged the Libyan people to “think beyond the current deadlock and explore new avenues, even if they are tough and bitter, to save their nation and bring about a much-needed change in the political landscape.”
Notably, Saif Al-Islam recently commended the efforts of Parliament Speaker, Ageela Saleh and members of the 6+6 Joint Committee, which is responsible for drafting the election laws. He thanked them for their “dedication to crafting electoral laws that do not exclude any candidate, despite the significant pressures and challenges they faced during the process.”