The United Nations Support Mission in Libya released a list of 45 candidates to join the new transitional executive authority, comprised of the Presidential Council and prime minister positions.
“The Mission extends its heartfelt appreciation for the efforts of the three-person verification committee, drawn from the membership of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF), to review the candidates’ applications in line with the eligibility criteria consensually agreed upon by the LPDF in Tunis,” it said in a statement on Saturday.
“All candidates pledged to respect the LPDF Roadmap with regard to the preparatory period paving the way for the holding of national elections on December 24, 2021,” it added.
The list only includes three women alongside political heavyweights from western and eastern Libya, including some figures from the South.
Twenty-four candidates will run for the three-member Presidential Council and 21 for the prime minister position.
Nominees for the Presidential Council include Speaker of the east-based parliament, Aguila Saleh, Libya’s Ambassador to Jordan, Mohammed Al-Bargathi, current head of the council Khalid al-Mishri, commander of GNA operations in the western military zone, Osama Juwaili, GNA Defense Minister Salah al-Namroush, and various former members of parliament.
Candidates for the position of prime minister include Sarraj’s deputy, Ahmed Meitig, GNA Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, former education minister Othman Abdul Jaleel Mohammed, and businessman Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.
The UNSMIL will convene the full Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in Switzerland from February 1 to 5 for the voting process for the new temporary unified executive.
“During the course of this meeting, the Mission will invite all candidates for an interactive session with the LPDF members to allow the candidates the opportunity to lay out their vision on implementing the Roadmap agreed upon by the LPDF, as well as to respond to questions posed by the LPDF members,” it said.
“In the lead-up to the interactive sessions with the candidates and in the spirit of transparency and inclusivity, the Mission will conduct a Digital Dialogue with the Libyan public to collect questions that will be presented to the candidates. These interactive sessions will be made available to the Libyan public,” it revealed.
The US embassy in Libya was quick to welcome the announcement of the list, congratulating “the LPDF and all Libyans on the transparent nomination process for candidates to serve in the new and unified interim government, which will guide Libya toward elections on December 24, 2021.”
“We strongly support LPDF delegates as they gather on February 1 to 5 in Geneva to vote among these candidates,” it added.
“Military posturing, collusion with foreign forces and mercenaries to undermine the political process, threats to shut down Libya’s energy sector, and attempts to divert Libya’s wealth for partisan agendas are incompatible with the demands of the Libyan people for change,” said Ambassador Richard Norland.
The envoy’s concerns echo those of several Libyans, who believe that the race for seats in the Presidential Council and PM position will lead to a new round of fighting and collapse of the ceasefire agreement, which has largely held since October.
