Elections in Libya

On 7 July 2012, the National Transitional Council, in power since the Libyan Civil War, supervised democratic elections for a 200-member General National Congress to replace the Council. The assembly was to choose a prime minister and organize parliamentary elections in 2013.{{cite news|last=Gumuchian|first=Marie-Louise, and Hadeel Al Shalchi|title=Libyans celebrate free vote despite violence|url=https://news.yahoo.com/libya-holds-landmark-vote-under-shadow-unrest-003430063.html|access-date=8 July 2012|agency=Reuters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120710113130/https://news.yahoo.com/libya-holds-landmark-vote-under-shadow-unrest-003430063.html |archive-date=10 July 2012 |url-status=dead }} A process to write a constitution was also to be determined. Unrest driven by armed militias, ethnic minority and radical groups undermined the process and the government for the years following the overthrowing of Muammar Gaddafi. While internal apathy towards democratic reforms slowed the process, external bodies such as the European Union were still pressing for the establishment of a national dialogue to build consensus for the drafting of a new constitution to take place before the end of 2014.{{cite news|title=A European agenda to support Libya’s transition|url=http://www.ecfr.eu/publications/summary/a_european_agenda_to_support_libyas_transition308|access-date=20 May 2014|publisher=European Council on Foreign Relations}} Parliamentary elections were scheduled to be held on 25 June 2014 in a move aimed at stabilizing the country and quelling the unrest.{{cite news|title=Libya to hold elections in a bid to defuse violence|url=http://www.heraldglobe.com/index.php/sid/222161387/scat/2411cd3571b4f088/ht/Libya-to-hold-elections-in-a-bid-to-defuse-violence|access-date=20 May 2014|publisher=Herald Globe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140710054719/http://www.heraldglobe.com/index.php/sid/222161387/scat/2411cd3571b4f088/ht/Libya-to-hold-elections-in-a-bid-to-defuse-violence|archive-date=10 July 2014|url-status=dead}}

History

=Kingdom of Libya=

=Libya under Gaddafi=

National elections were indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees. The head of government was elected by the General People's Congress. The last such election was held in March 2010.

Libya's parliament consisted of a unicameral General People's Congress. Its members were elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees.

Suffrage was 18 years of age; universal and technically compulsory.

Electoral bodies

According to Article 157 of the 2017 draft Libyan constitution, the Libyan High National Election Commission (HNEC) is responsible for organising elections of national political bodies in Libya.

The Central Commission of Municipal Council Elections (CCMCE) was created in 2018 for organising municipal elections in 2018 to replace councils elected in 2014. It started holding these elections in 2019 in March and April.

2012 elections

2014 elections

=Constituent Assembly=

HNEC organised the 2014 Libyan Constitutional Assembly election of 60 representatives in February 2014.

=House of Representatives=

The Libyan election commission on 20 May 2014 announced elections would be held on 25 June 2014.

Future elections

Presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya were scheduled for December 24, 2021; however these were indefinitely postponed by the High National Elections Commission, due to failure to agree on the electoral rules.{{Cite web|last=Emig |first=Addison |title=Libya’s Elusive Elections: Will 2023 Be the Year for Elections? |date=16 August 2023 |publisher=Wilson Center |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/libyas-elusive-elections-will-2023-be-year-elections |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816184949/https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/libyas-elusive-elections-will-2023-be-year-elections |archive-date=16 August 2023 |url-status=live }}

As of 2023, Libya had two competing governments, the Government of National Unity (GNU) sited in Tripoli and the Government of National Stability (GNS) in Sirte, formed in March 2022, and supported by the House of Representatives (HoR). The High Council of State (HCS) is now essentially the legislative body for the GNU. In March 2023 both legislative bodies passed an amendment to the Libyan Constitution providing a broad framework for elections; however, numerous disagreements still exist about implementation.{{Cite news|title=High State Council passes 13th amendment – paving way for Libyan elections? |date=2 March 2023 |newspaper=Libya Herald |url=https://libyaherald.com/2023/03/high-state-council-passes-13th-amendment-paving-way-for-libyan-elections/ }}

In November 2023, despite objections from members of the High Council of State and the reservations expressed by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL),{{Cite news|last=Assad |first=Abdulkader |date=27 July 2023 |title=UNSMIL warns against unilateral initiatives in Libya |newspaper=The Libyan Observer |url=https://libyaobserver.ly/news/unsmil-warns-against-unilateral-initiatives-libya }} the House of Representatives ordered the official publication of election rules in the Official Gazette.{{Cite news|last=Assad |first=Abdulkader |date=2 November 2023 |title=Libya's HoR publishes controversial election laws in Official Gazette |newspaper=The Libyan Observer |url=https://libyaobserver.ly/news/libyas-hor-publishes-controversial-election-laws-official-gazette }} The regulations were developed by the 6 + 6 Joint Committee of the HoR and the HCS.{{Cite news|last=Alharathy |first=Safa |date=6 April 2023 |title=6 + 6 Committee holds first meeting at HCS HQ in Tripoli |newspaper=The Libyan Observer |url=https://libyaobserver.ly/news/6-6-committee-holds-first-meeting-hcs-hq-tripoli |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626064624/https://libyaobserver.ly/news/6-6-committee-holds-first-meeting-hcs-hq-tripoli |archive-date=26 June 2023 |url-status=live }}

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web | title = Project Document – Libya – Local Elections | publisher = United Nations Development Programme | date = 4 February 2019 | url = https://www.undp.org/content/dam/libya/docs/Signed%20ProDoc%20CCMCE%20(002).pdf | access-date = 1 May 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200106130806/https://www.undp.org/content/dam/libya/docs/Signed%20ProDoc%20CCMCE%20(002).pdf | archive-date = 6 January 2020 | url-status = live }}

{{cite news|first1=Ahmed |last1=Elumami |url=https://www.libyaherald.com/2014/02/21/election-re-runs-next-wednesday-says-elabbar/|title=Election re-runs next Wednesday says Elabbar|newspaper=Libya Herald|date=21 February 2014|access-date=1 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224192438/https://www.libyaherald.com/2014/02/21/election-re-runs-next-wednesday-says-elabbar/ |archive-date=2014-02-24 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}

{{cite news|url=http://www.libyaherald.com/2013/10/21/44941/|title=Constitutional assembly candidates being registered|newspaper=Libya Herald|date=21 October 2013|access-date=24 December 2013 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022012543/https://www.libyaherald.com/2013/10/21/44941/ |archive-date=2013-10-22 }}

{{cite news|first1=Ahmed |last1=Elumami |url=http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/03/02/hnec-announces-results-for-constitutional-committee-elections/|title=HNEC announces results for Constitutional Committee elections |newspaper=Libya Herald|date=2 March 2014|access-date=3 March 2014|url-access=subscription|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310024646/http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/03/02/hnec-announces-results-for-constitutional-committee-elections/ |archive-date=2014-03-10}}

{{cite news | title= Libya holds municipal elections in first vote for five years | date= 31 March 2019 | publisher= Middle East Monitor | url= https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190331-libya-holds-municipal-elections-in-first-vote-for-five-years/ | access-date= 20 April 2019 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190331155936/https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190331-libya-holds-municipal-elections-in-first-vote-for-five-years/ | archive-date= 31 March 2019 | url-status= live }}

{{cite news| title=UN envoy hails Libyans' keenness on holding municipal elections despite war| date=20 April 2019| publisher=The Libya Observer| url=https://www.libyaobserver.ly/news/un-envoy-hails-libyans-keenness-holding-municipal-elections-despite-war| access-date=20 April 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420220102/https://www.libyaobserver.ly/news/un-envoy-hails-libyans-keenness-holding-municipal-elections-despite-war| archive-date=20 April 2019| url-status=live}}

{{cite news | last1= Alharathy | first1= Safa | title= Sabha holds municipal council elections | date= 28 April 2019 | publisher= The Libya Observer | url= https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/sabha-holds-municipal-council-elections | access-date= 29 April 2019 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190430223642/https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/sabha-holds-municipal-council-elections | archive-date= 30 April 2019 | url-status= live }}

{{cite news | title= Central Committee for Municipal Elections confirms the election of six new mayors to municipal councils | date= 1 May 2019 | publisher= The Libya Observer | url= https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/central-committee-municipal-elections-confirms-election-six-new-mayors-municipal-councils |access-date= 1 May 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190501211310/https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/central-committee-municipal-elections-confirms-election-six-new-mayors-municipal-councils |archive-date= 1 May 2019 |url-status=live}}

}}

[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/libya/ CIA - The World Factbook: Libya]