Libya political parties set 2-year elections roadmap at UN-led talks

Libyan political factions reached a landmark agreement Sunday to hold national elections within two years, marking a potential turning point in the country’s long-standing political crisis. The deal, signed at the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) headquarters in Tripoli, aims to resolve persistent disputes over electoral laws and reform the election authority, which have stalled the electoral process for more than a decade.

Representatives from Libya’s rival political institutions convened in a smaller format known as the 4+4 talks, involving two delegates each from the Government of National Unity (GNU), the High Council of State, the House of Representatives, and the Libyan National Army. The agreement establishes a roadmap for holding both legislative and presidential elections within 24 months, under a unified executive authority and consolidated national institutions.

Walid Ellafi, Libya’s state minister of political affairs and communications in the GNU, emphasized the urgency of the timeline, stating that elections should proceed “within a period not exceeding 24 months.” Meanwhile, Shibani AbuHamoud, head of the army’s general command delegation, pledged that the 4+4 group would collaborate with UNSMIL to develop an implementation framework within one month of the signing.

The agreement includes a contingency plan: if the House of Representatives and High Council of State fail to ratify the deal within 30 days, the parties will pursue its adoption as a constitutional document through broader national mechanisms, with support from the United Nations Security Council. This approach seeks to bypass institutional deadlock and ensure forward momentum.

Libya has struggled with instability since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi. The country split into rival eastern and western factions in 2014, though large-scale fighting diminished after a 2020 cease-fire. Despite repeated calls from political leaders for elections, public skepticism remains high, with many citizens questioning whether voting could lead to genuine change or merely displace current power holders.

The new roadmap signals cautious optimism among international observers, though the success of the plan will depend on sustained political will and effective implementation.

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