Libyan negotiators have reached a preliminary election deal aimed at ending the long-running political rift in the North African nation. The agreement includes electoral laws and the restructuring of the national election commission, moving the process into a complex and sensitive implementation phase, according to experts and officials who spoke to Al Jazeera.
Since 2014, Libya has been split between two rival administrations controlling the east and the west, with numerous UN-led efforts to end the crisis having failed. The current negotiations were conducted by a committee comprising four representatives from the eastern-based House of Representatives and four from the High Council of State, which is affiliated with the internationally recognized Government of National Accord in Tripoli.
The UN-backed '4+4' committee signed the first draft in Tunis on August 20. The current challenge is persuading other Libyan parties to engage with the process.
Legal expert Al-Mahdi Kashbour told Al Jazeera there is a gap between the authority of the signatories and the institutions responsible for implementation. Libyan political analyst Elias Al-Barouni stressed that the deal does not provide a concrete roadmap for the elections; even if legal obstacles are removed, the question shifts to who will run Libya during the transition period.
This may be the toughest test for the peace process, as the transitional administration must control state resources and navigate an extremely sensitive security environment. Several Libyan legislative bodies and politicians have expressed concerns about the talks.
Nuh al-Malati, a member of the High Council of State, said the council has not received an official document on the agreement, and these changes do not enjoy consensus within the council. He stated that members linked to the Government of National Accord in the '4+4' committee do not represent the council's official position.
Mohamed al-Menfi, head of the Presidential Council in Tripoli, criticized the ambiguity surrounding the basis of the talks: 'The success of any consensus is tied to clarity on its basis, mandate, and applicability, especially for sovereign institutions like the election commission.' Similar skepticism emerged from the eastern administration.
Khalifa al-Daghari, a member of the House of Representatives, told Al Jazeera that lawmakers in this group were not involved in selecting the negotiation team members. They only followed meeting details through media and official statements, without receiving any direct briefings on developments or outcomes. He also alleged 'secrecy' in the process, preventing the House from determining its stance before reviewing the official text.
Despite the criticism, UN spokesperson Mohammad al-Asadi called the agreement 'an important step and a conclusion to the negotiations on all points under discussion.' He said the text would be made public after the formal signing.
