The voting process in Libya will face significant challenges as the election date approaches, according to political analysts in the northern Africa country.
The political division that followed the technical preparations for Libya’s presidential elections, according to analysts, made it a challenging process that could not be held on December 24 as planned.
More than 2.5 million Libyan citizens are expected to vote in the presidential elections on December 24, according to a roadmap set by the United Nations (UN)-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum.
The High National Electoral Commission in Libya postponed the publication of the official list of candidates which was due at least 15 days before the election on December 11, saying it planned to conduct judicial and legal procedures related to the election.
The Libyan parliamentary elections, originally planned to be held on the same day as the presidential poll, have been postponed to January 2022.
After the delay of presidential candidates’ publication, Libyan political analyst, Faraj al-Dali, believes that the decision to postpone the elections has already been made and would be revealed in a few days.
“The Electoral Commission’s failure to publish the final list of candidates would indirectly push towards the postponement of the elections,” said al-Dali. Abubakr Mahmoud, a Libyan political analyst, said that holding presidential elections on December 24 is no longer feasible, and a new date must be selected that is acceptable to all parties.
Miloud al-Haj, a Libyan law professor, believes that the controversial presidential candidates are a major cause to affect the chance of holding the elections on time.
“Since a number of controversial figures, primarily Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, announced their candidacy for the presidential elections, the electoral process has reached a clear polarising phase,” said al-Haj.
“I don’t think many Libyans will accept Muammar Gaddafi’s son to return to power, especially given the legal persecutions he faces both at home and abroad,” he added.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late leader, Muammar Gaddafi, who was toppled and killed in 2011, announced running for president in November. However, he is facing several legal issues in Libya and abroad.
The International Criminal Court issued a red notice against Saif al-Islam Gaddafi for alleged war crimes committed in Libya in 2011. -Xinhua
