France, Italy, and Germany announced Monday their support for municipal elections in Libya, which will prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections.
The announcement was made during a meeting between German ambassador to Libya Oliver Owcza, French ambassador to Malta Béatrice le Fraper du Hellen, and British deputy ambassador to Libya Fleur Willson, and Chairman of the Central Committee of Municipal Council Elections Salem bin Tahia.
Despite the ongoing clashes in Tripoli since April 4, municipal elections resumed on April 20 in several provinces in cooperation between the Central Committee for Municipal Elections (CCMCE) and international and local partners.
On May 31, the elections of 69 municipalities in the country’s first poll since 2014 were held, including Bint Bayyah, Wadi Otbh, Batin al-Jabal, al-Qalaa, Alriyayna, aI-Hawamid, Zuwarah, Ghadames and Nalut.
Libya remains divided between the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), based in Tripoli and led by Faiez al-Sarraj, and a rival administration in the east led by Commander Khalifa Haftar that has support from several countries, including Egypt, Russia and the U.A.E.
Municipal elections are hoped to pave the way for Libya’s democratic process and presidential elections, which should have been held after the UNSMIL had set to convene the National Forum on April 14.
