Libya’s Presidential Council Chairman Mohamed al-Menfi on Wednesday adopted the National Reconciliation Charter, describing it as “the beginning of a new phase of serious work toward achieving social peace and justice,” despite escalating political tensions and deepening divisions.
The announcement comes as disputes persist between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State. The latter has urged the United Nations mission to maintain neutrality, defending its unilateral move to reconstitute the board of the High National Elections Commission and warning against any “reproduction of past crises.”
Speaking at a ceremony in Tripoli, Menfi said the charter was the result of national efforts grounded in dialogue and tolerance, and marked the start of translating reconciliation principles into daily practice.
He voiced support for the High Council for Peace and Reconciliation to implement the charter, rebuild trust, and address grievances. Menfi also declared January 7 a National Day for Peace and Reconciliation, calling reconciliation a religious, national, and strategic obligation that ensures the future of coming generations.
Under the 2021 Geneva agreement, the national reconciliation file formally falls under the Presidential Council’s authority. However, little tangible progress has been made over the past five years amid political fragmentation, despite multiple preparatory meetings and conferences sponsored by the African Union.
Renewed talk of reconciliation has coincided with intensified political escalation between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State, following the latter’s unilateral election of a new board for the High National Elections Commission. The move prompted sharp criticism from the UN mission, which expressed serious concern over rising tensions between the two bodies over the commission’s leadership.
In response, the High Council of State expressed surprise at the UN statement. While reaffirming the mission’s role in supporting Libya’s political process, it stressed that the sovereign powers of Libyan institutions, as defined by the constitutional declaration and its amendments, must not be bypassed or handled outside established constitutional and legal frameworks.
The council said reconstituting the elections commission falls within its core competencies and is consistent with constitutional procedures and the 2015 Skhirat Political Agreement, noting that the House of Representatives had taken similar steps in the past without drawing international criticism.
Observers say the dispute reflects an escalating struggle between Libya’s rival institutions over sovereign posts and the electoral track, highlighting growing tensions between national ownership of the political process and international involvement, as elections remain central to the contest for power and legitimacy.
