Libya’s local elections disrupted by attacks and irregularities

Hundreds of thousands of Libyans headed to the polls this weekend for local elections, but the process was marred by violence and irregularities, forcing delays in several areas, according to the country’s High National Election Commission (HNEC), Middle East Eye reports.

The vote, backed by the United Nations, was expected to be contentious given Libya’s ongoing political divide. The country remains split between two rival administrations: the internationally recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli and a competing authority in Benghazi aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar.

The HNEC reported that arson attacks destroyed election materials in Zawiya and Sahel al-Gharbi, prompting the postponement of voting in seven municipalities until August 23. An additional armed assault targeted the commission’s offices in Zliten, about 90 miles east of Tripoli last week.

Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who governs western Libya with international support, strongly condemned the incidents. He warned that obstructing elections and denying citizens their right to vote was “an unacceptable act,” stressing that elections remain the only path to resolving Libya’s political rift.

Despite years of international pressure, efforts to hold nationwide presidential and parliamentary elections have stalled, with rival factions unable to agree on electoral rules, leaving the country in prolonged uncertainty.