TRIPOLI — Libyan parliament speaker Aguila Saleh has
ratified a law governing the country's upcoming presidential election, sparking
criticism from MPs and politicians who say he failed to follow due process.
اضافة اعلان
The oil-rich North African country is trying to extricate
itself from a decade of turmoil following the 2011 toppling of dictator Muammar
Gadhafi.
In recent years, Libya was split between rival
administrations backed by foreign powers and myriad militias.
After eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar's forces were routed
from the country's west last year, the two camps signed a ceasefire in Geneva
in October.
And earlier this year, an interim government was established
to lead Libya towards December parliamentary and presidential 24 polls.
Spokesman for the eastern-based parliament, Abdallah Bliheq,
on Thursday posted on Facebook the text of 75 articles signed by Saleh covering
the presidential electoral process.
The long-awaited move sparked anger among the High Council
of State (HCS) and a group of 22 lawmakers who criticized Saleh for not
submitting the text to a parliamentary vote.
The HCS, the equivalent of Libya's senate based in Tripoli,
decried Saleh's "unilateral" decision.
It accused him of trying to "grab powers he does not
have" in order to "hamper the upcoming
elections by deliberately promulgating
a flawed piece of legislation".
The MPs said in a statement that ratifying the law without a
vote violates parliament's internal rules.
Critics accuse Saleh of trying to favor Haftar, a likely
candidate for the presidency who controls the country's eastern province and
part of the south.
The UN envoy for Libya Jan Kubis told the UN Security
Council on Friday that Saleh informed him "the presidential electoral law
was already adopted".
Saleh said that "the parliamentary elections can be
organized on the basis of the existing law with possible amendments that could
be considered and approved within the coming two weeks," Kubis added.
"Holding the elections in Libya, even in less than
ideal situation, and with all imperfections, challenges and risks is much more
desirable than no elections that could only foster division, instability, and
conflict," Kubis said.
Former interior minister Fathi Bashagha, also a likely
presidential candidate, welcomed the law's approval and called it an
"important and very positive step" toward holding the December polls.
The law regulating the legislative elections, also planned
for December 24, still needs to be debated and voted in parliament before it is
ratified.
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