Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of the capital Tripoli and other Libyan cities on Friday, with many attacking and setting fire to government buildings, including the House of Representatives in the eastern city of Tobruk. “The right of the people to demonstrate peacefully must be respected and protected, but rioting and acts of vandalism, such as the break-in to the offices of the House of Representatives late yesterday in Tobruk, are completely unacceptable,” said Stephanie Williams, UN special adviser on Libya, on Twitter. . Friday’s protests came a day after leaders of the Tripoli-based parliament and another legislature failed to reach an agreement on elections during UN-brokered talks in Geneva. The controversy now centers on the eligibility requirements for candidates, according to the United Nations.
The election plans failed
Libya failed to hold elections in December after challenges including legal disputes, controversial presidential nominations and the presence of rogue militias and foreign fighters in the country. The parliament building is seen early Saturday after the protest over deteriorating living conditions and political gridlock. (AFP/Getty Images) The failure to hold the vote was a major blow to international efforts for peace in the Mediterranean nation. It has opened a new chapter in its long-running political stalemate, with two rival governments now vying for power after tentative steps towards unity over the past year.
Difficult economic conditions
Protesters, frustrated by years of chaos and division, demanded the removal of the current political order and the holding of elections. They also rallied against dire economic conditions in the oil-rich country, where prices for fuel and bread have risen and power outages are a frequent occurrence. Protesters also gathered Saturday in Tripoli and several cities in western Libya, blocking roads and burning tires, according to live streams on social media. There were fears that militias across the country could quell the protests as they did in 2020, when they opened fire on people protesting economic conditions. Sabadell Jose, the European Union’s envoy to Libya, called on protesters to “avoid any kind of violence”. He said Friday’s protests showed people want “change through elections and their voices must be heard.” Richard Norland, the US ambassador to Libya, urged Libyan political leaders and their foreign backers to work on a compromise to hold elections. “It is clear that no single political entity enjoys legitimate control over the entire country and any attempt to impose a unilateral solution will lead to violence,” he warned on Twitter after a call with Mohammad Younes Menfi, head of Libya’s presidential council. Libya has been wracked by conflict since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gaddafi in 2011. The country was then for years divided between rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by different militias and foreign governments. .
