Libyans on Thursday marked 11 years since the revolt that toppled dictator Muammar Ghaddafi, but the democracy many hoped for seems as elusive as ever, and many fear a return to conflict. Just weeks after national elections planned for December 24 were indefinitely postponed, the east-based parliament voted to appoint influential ex-interior minister Fathi Bashagha to replace the interim unity government. Since Ghaddafi's ouster, Libya has had no fewer than nine governments and two full-scale civil wars but has yet to hold a presidential vote. The country's UN mission, UNSMIL, on Thursday said it would continue efforts for "free and transparent national elections as soon as possible". Despite the failures, Libya expert Jalel Harchaoui said the country had seen progress on many fronts.

Source: Libya Today February 18, 2022 01:51 UTC