Cairo, Dec 22, (dpa/GNA) – The upcoming Libyan presidential election, seen as crucial for restoring stability to the conflict-ridden country, will be “impossible” to conduct as scheduled on Friday, Libyan media reported on Wednesday, citing a parliamentary committee.
The election, scheduled for Friday, is part of a United Nations-backed plan to end a decade of chaos in Libya.
However, an independent commission in charge of the electoral process, has not released a final list of candidates amid disputes on election laws.
Al Hadi al-Sagheer, the head of a parliamentary committee formed to follow up on the long-awaited vote, said after checking related technical, security and judicial reports, it is “impossible” for the election to be on Friday.
The conclusion, the clearest yet about the fate of the vote, was made in a letter sent by al-Sagheer to Libyan parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh, himself a presidential hopeful, Libyan media reported.
The letter did not suggest a new date for the election.
Al-Sagheer asked Saleh to return to take the parliament’s helm, after he temporarily quit to submit his presidential candidacy.
Dozens of candidates have applied to run for president. They include Saif al-Islam, the son of late Libyan dictator Moammer Gaddafi, wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity during the 2011 uprising against his father.
Another controversial president hopeful is General Khalifa Haftar, who heads the self-styled Libyan National Army, based in east of the oil-rich country.
Libya has been in turmoil since the 2011 overthrow of Gaddafi, and has become a battleground for rival proxy forces, drawing in foreign powers.
GNA