Libya holds municipal elections under tight security but voters from cities in the east are barred from casting their ballots.

Tripoli

Libya has held a second round of municipal elections in several cities, offering citizens the chance to vote for local officials for the first time in years. While voting proceeded smoothly in Tripoli, only 26 out of 63 scheduled municipalities participated, as security concerns and political divisions prevented voting in many areas.

The elections come amid a longstanding conflict between rival administrations in the west and east of the country. The eastern administration, led by Khalifa Haftar, suspended voting in cities under its control, and attacks on election infrastructure further disrupted the process. The United Nations has emphasized the importance of such polls for Libya's democratic future, but ongoing divisions raise concerns about the prospects for nationwide elections.

Libya holds municipal elections amid conflict and political divisions

There's an afternoon rush at this polling station in Tripoli. People have come here to choose local officials in the second round of Libya's elections. Noha El Gregni says this is the first time she's voted. I'm happy to vote. I can't describe how great I feel. This is a great step towards making Libya better. For Taher Mftaah, voting isn't just a right, it's a responsibility. I'm so glad that at my old age, I'm given the chance to vote for who I want to lead, to put the right person in the right position, someone I believe will make our city better. We haven't had that in a long time. Libya has been engulfed in conflict and political divisions for more than a decade. Legislative and presidential elections were postponed indefinitely in 2021 because rival administrations couldn't agree on a constitutional framework. Here in Tripoli, the voting is going smoothly, but that isn't the case elsewhere in Libya. People in 63 cities were scheduled to vote in this round of elections, but only 26 municipalities are actually participating. The Electoral Commission says it has the logistical capabilities to hold nationwide elections, but authorities need to make sure the voting process is safe. With two administrations, the internationally recognized government in Tripoli, headed by Abdel Hamid Dbeiba, and a parallel one in the east, controlled by warlord Khalifa Haftar, that's proven difficult. Haftar's government suspended voting in 27 cities under its control. In the western city of Zawiya, an attack on the Electoral Commission's distribution center forced voting in seven cities to be postponed. It's clear that the elections are not in the interest of any of the current political officials, as elections mean they can be replaced. Today, the political officials are telling the international community that elections pose a threat. For people who were able to cast their ballots, voting represents freedom, democracy, and the peaceful transition of power. The UN says nationwide elections are the only way forward for the country, and these municipal polls are an important milestone. But with the administration in the east refusing to allow voting in areas it controls, there are growing concerns that the chances for a democratic Libya are slipping away. Malk Trayna, Al Jazeera, Tripoli.

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