Daijiworld Media Network - Tripoli

Tripoli, Dec 1: Libya’s High National Elections Commission (HNEC) announced on Sunday that it is fully prepared to conduct the country’s presidential elections, according to an official statement posted on its Facebook page.

The commission highlighted that the recent municipal council elections helped strengthen its technical capacity to handle the challenges of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary polls, Xinhua News Agency reported. Preliminary plans suggest that elections could begin in early March 2026, with the start date possibly extending to mid-April, contingent on funding, security arrangements, and an agreed mechanism to manage the electoral process amid Libya’s dual governments.

HNEC called on the UN Support Mission in Libya to help resolve disputes over amendments to electoral laws, urging a swift resolution to enable the issuance of necessary regulations and operational procedures. The commission emphasized that solutions must come from Libyans themselves, warning against foreign interventions or initiatives influenced by external interests.

The statement reaffirmed that returning to the ballot box is the only way to end divisions and restore legitimacy, with HNEC committed to professionalism, neutrality, and integrity throughout the process.

The announcement follows a formal request from Aguila Saleh, speaker of Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives, urging HNEC to begin preparations for presidential elections immediately. Recent demonstrations in eastern and southern cities have demanded nationwide elections to resolve political divisions.

Since the 2011 fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has remained split between two rival administrations: the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and the eastern-based government appointed by the House of Representatives under Osama Hammad.