Libya's Presidency Council calls for ‘simultaneous’ elections

TRIPOLI, Libya – Libya's Presidency Council on Sunday called for holding the parliamentary and presidential elections simultaneously.

In a statement, the council called for taking all measures to ensure a "comprehensive elections process" with a view to building confidence among the parties and ensuring "transparency and fairness of the polls."

The statement also underlined the importance of international efforts to secure and monitor the electoral process.

The council’s call comes amid differences and disagreements on electoral laws between the parliament, the High Council of State and the unity government.

On Friday, participants in an international conference in Paris on Libya threatened sanctions against parties seeking to obstruct or undermine political transition in Libya.

Libya’s transitional Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh said at a news conference that participants in the conference agreed to sanction those who refuse to accept results of the elections.

Libya’s presidential and parliamentary elections are set to take place on Dec. 24 under an UN-sponsored agreement reached by Libyan political rivals during meetings in Tunisia on Nov. 15, 2020.

Libyans hope that the upcoming elections will contribute to ending an armed conflict that has plagued the oil-rich country for years.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara