United Nations calls on Libya's parliament to focus on preparation for elections

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Tuesday called on Libya’s House of Representatives (HoR) to focus on preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections. In a statement, the UNSMIL informed that it received reports that the HoR has passed a no-confidence motion against the Government of National Unity (GNU). 

It added that the UN Support Mission “expects that the efforts of the HoR would focus on “finalising the parliamentary elections law and that the leadership of the HoR would advance efforts to build broad consensus on the merging electoral legislative framework”. 

UNSMIL statement comes after the Libyan parliament announced the withdrawal of confidence from the GNU and kept it as a caretaker government. Following the announcement, the UN mission urged the Libyan parliament to complete the work on the parliamentary elections law by next week. It also went on to confirm GNU as the “legitimate government” up until it is replaced through a regular process. 

“The mission confirms that the current GNU remains the legitimate government up until it is replaced by another government through a regular process, following the elections. Its focus remains to bring the country towards the parliamentary and presidential elections on December 24, 2021, and providing the necessary services to the people," UNSMIL said.

Libya's political crisis

On Tuesday, the majority of parliament in Libya had voted to withdraw confidence from the Tripoli-based administration of interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah. This came amid growing tensions between Dbeibah’s administration and the HoR, three months in advance of planned national elections. Earlier this month, the parliament had held a session to question Dbeibah over financial and administrative violations, which the interim PM had denied as his government’s budget wasn’t approved by the parliament. 

Dbeibah’s administration took office in February with a mandate to guide Libya to elections on December 24. This came after an October 2020 ceasefire between the Libyan forces and Haftar, who had waged a year-long assault on the capital that left thousands dead. The GNU was selected by the UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF), ending years of political division in the North African nation. 

(With inputs from ANI)