On Wednesday, the head of Libya’s High National Elections Commission (HNEC), Emad Al-Sayeh, confirmed that the voting phase for the second group of municipal council elections will take place before mid-August 2025.
In a statement published on the commission’s official Facebook page,
Al-Sayeh explained that the extended timeline for this electoral phase was primarily due to the need to thoroughly verify the criminal records of over 4,000 candidates.
Additional delays were caused by public holidays, religious observances, and recent security incidents in the capital, Tripoli.
Despite the setbacks, preparations are moving forward. Al-Sayeh announced that the printing of voter ID cards and ballot papers has been completed. Distribution of the “Voter” cards will begin on Saturday, 28 June, and will continue for three weeks.
Simultaneously, the official campaigning period for candidates will also begin on 28 June and continue until the day of electoral silence, which precedes voting day.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Commission issued a new decision requiring candidates to strictly adhere to the campaign rules outlined in Chapter Eight of Executive Regulation No. 43 of 2023, which governs the conduct of municipal elections.
The HNEC also urged state-run and official media outlets to coordinate with the commission to allocate appropriate airtime and space for candidates to present their electoral programs.
Furthermore, all campaign activities will be subject to monitoring by organizations officially accredited by the commission to ensure transparency and fair practice.
This phase of the municipal elections includes dozens of towns and cities, where local governance is crucial for delivering public services and fostering stability.
Earlier this month, the HNEC finalized and published the official list of candidates qualified to contest in this round of elections, completing another major step in Libya’s ongoing effort to re-establish functioning local institutions across the country.
