The postponed presidential elections in Libya – now threatening a political crisis

The announcement, which was reported by Al-Jazeera news channel, practically means the cancellation of the elections.

The decision did not come unexpectedly, as the electoral process was extremely slow and unreliable. Various political camps have made the nominations of their opponents suspect Legal action began to stop them.

It is not yet clear when the elections will take place. According to an earlier decision, parliamentary elections must be held no later than 52 days after the election of the president. But even the parliamentary elections have now ended in a political stalemate.

The postponed elections are bad news for the international community, which, led by the United Nations, is trying to bring about normalization in Libya, a country that has been plagued by chaos and division over the past decade.

The initial reactions from the capital, Tripoli, are also ominous. The Reuters news agency reported that rival militia groups took up arms and set up barriers at the entrances. At the same time, schools and other public institutions in the capital are closed.

According to Reuters, warlord Khalifa Haftar, one of the key figures in the elections, held a crisis meeting in his most powerful stronghold, Benghazi, on Tuesday. Last year, Haftar directed his armed group, the Libyan National Army, against the capital, Tripoli, but was repulsed by forces loyal to the government army.