Following the cancellation of the elections component of the United Nations-facilitated political process in Libya, several parliamentary candidates called for protests on Friday. Libya’s election commission has proposed Jan. 24 as a new date for the presidential poll, which was to be followed by parliamentary elections on Feb. 15. But with several well-known figures – including the son of ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi – declaring candidacy despite official bans, the election commission never published a list of accepted candidates. The U.N. top diplomat vowed that his organization will continue to support Libyan efforts to overcome challenges and hold both presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible. Mediated by the U.N., an October 2020 cease-fire led to the formation of a transitional government with elections scheduled for Dec. 24.

Source: Libya Today December 25, 2021 05:04 UTC