Libya’s Legislative Elections Postponed, Presidential Poll Still Set

Libya’s legislative elections will not be held in December as planned, according to the country’s parliament. The presidential election will go on as scheduled on December 24, but the elections of the Libyan House of Representatives will be delayed by a month, the parliamentary spokesman, Abdullah Bliheg, announced on Tuesday.

The United Nations-backed Tripoli-based unity government of interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah took office in March with a mandate to lead the country to the December elections.

Libya has been divided since 2015 between the internationally recognized Government of National Accord in Tripoli and the government of military leader Khalifa Hafta’s House of Representatives in Tobruk. A cease-fire between the two sides has been holding for the last year. Libya has been roiled by conflict since the ousting of longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.