Libyans turn out for elections as officials condemn 'unacceptable' obstructions

Hundreds of thousands of Libyans went to the polls on Saturday as officials condemned "unacceptable" obstructions that prevented voting in some areas.

Fifty cities across the fractured country, including the capital Tripoli, took part in the elections. Polling stations opened as early as 9am [7am GMT] for the 380,000 registered voters, with security provided in the west by the interior ministry of the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU).

The High National Election Commission (HNEC) said voting had been postponed in several polling stations after incidents and irregularities were reported.

Libya remains divided between two authorities. Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, based in Tripoli, leads the internationally recognised GNU, while the east is controlled by Khalifa Haftar, head of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces.

After a first phase in November across 58 cities, voting was scheduled to take place in 63 municipalities - 41 in the west, 13 in the east and 9 in the south. But the HNEC was forced to suspend the election at the end of July in 11 cities after reports of "irregularities".

In a statement on Saturday, Dbeibah praised those who came out to vote and criticised the reported disruption.

“There is no doubt that obstructing the electoral process, preventing it in a number of municipalities within this phase, and blocking citizens from reaching the ballot boxes to choose those who will manage their local affairs is an unacceptable act. It puts those responsible to the test regarding future entitlements, including parliamentary and presidential elections," he said.

“Direct elections remain our firm vision and the only option we seek to realise across the entire country. They are the path to overcoming political division and ending the long and burdensome transitional stages that have weighed heavily on our nation and our people.”

On Saturday, HNEC said voting had been postponed in seven municipalities until 23 August after arson attacks destroyed election materials in Zawiya and Sahel al-Gharbi.

The commission also reported an “armed attack” on its offices in Zliten, 150km from Tripoli, on Tuesday.

Dbeibah was appointed in 2021 as a consensus prime minister with a mandate to lead Libya into elections that never took place. Since then, there have been regular protests against his rule.

Libya has been divided since the Nato-led removal of long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The civil war became a proxy conflict with Russia, the UAE, Egypt and France backing Haftar and Turkey supporting the government in Tripoli.