HCS calls for legal path to elections

The High Council of State (HCS) has called for any political agreements on elections to be based on existing legal frameworks and to respect the powers of state institutions.

In a statement on political and electoral developments, the council said free and fair elections were the best way to end transitional periods, renew political legitimacy and resolve the country’s institutional and political divisions, reiterating support for “serious” national and UN efforts to hold elections. 

The council urged the House of Representatives to open an urgent dialogue with it to resolve outstanding issues and turn areas of agreement into legally binding institutional arrangements.

The HCS highlighted that this should help pave the way for elections without creating another transitional phase.

It welcomed any agreements that could bring elections closer, but said the integrity of the process leading to them was as important as the date of the vote. 

It further warned that consultative mechanisms should not replace Libya’s legally mandated institutions or assume legislative or sovereign powers.

The council reaffirmed its commitment to the 2015 Libyan Political Agreement signed in Skhirat, subsequent UN-led understandings and relevant international resolutions, stressing the need to protect the independence and credibility of the High National Elections Commission.

The statement also called on the UN Support Mission in Libya to continue facilitating political dialogue while respecting Libyan ownership of the process and the powers of state institutions. 

The council stressed that it was not opposed to elections, but wanted them to be the result of a sound legal and institutional process rather than a reason to bypass or weaken existing institutions.