Libya fell apart after the 2011 uprising against Muammar Gaddafi and split in 2014 between warring eastern and western factions. They agreed to install a unity government to rule until simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections on Dec. 24. Parliament speaker Aguila Saleh, who is a presidential candidate, issued a law setting a first round of the presidential election for Dec. 24 with a second round run-off and the parliamentary election to come afterwards. Putting the presidential vote first meant the election came down to a winner-takes-all contest between candidates from violently opposing factions. A disputed result could rapidly unravel the peace process, replicating the aftermath of the 2014 election when warring factions backed rival administrations.

Source: Libya Today December 24, 2021 12:45 UTC