UNSMIL unveils Advisory Committee recommendations to resolve Libya's political crisis.

Tripoli, May 20, 2025 (LANA) – The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) unveiled on Tuesday the report prepared by the Advisory Committee, which addresses the contentious issues that continue to hinder political consensus that would pave the way for comprehensive national elections.

According to a statement from the mission, the report reviews a set of recommendations and political and legal options reached by the committee, with the aim of addressing the most prominent points of division within the current electoral framework. These include the relationship between presidential and legislative elections, eligibility criteria for candidacy, the mandatory second round of presidential elections, the requirement to form a new government before the vote, appeals mechanisms, seat distribution, as well as issues of women's representation, cultural components, and voting rights for holders of administrative numbers.

The report includes four main options that could form the basis of a roadmap to end the transitional phase: holding presidential and legislative elections simultaneously; holding parliamentary elections followed by adopting a permanent constitution; adopting the constitution before any elections; or forming a political dialogue committee, based on the Libyan Political Agreement, to finalize electoral laws and a permanent constitution.

The UN mission confirmed that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Hanna Tetteh, presented the recommendations to Libyan parties in the east and west as part of a round of consultations aimed at strengthening national understanding on the next path.

Commenting on the report, Tetteh said, "This report represents a starting point for a comprehensive national dialogue on the best ways to overcome the political deadlock that has prevented elections since 2021, exacerbating economic and security instability in the country."

She added that "the final path will be determined through a broad dialogue with Libyans that takes into account all viewpoints," stressing the need for this path to be "purely Libyan-led and enjoy broad national support."

The mission explained that its role was limited to facilitating the Advisory Committee's meetings, providing logistical and technical support, and engaging international experts in constitutional and electoral affairs to offer expertise drawn from similar experiences, without interfering in the content of the recommendations or imposing any options.

The mission intends to present the report's findings to all Libyans by organizing broad consultations that include political parties, civil society organizations, youth, women, security agencies, and notables. This is to ensure the inclusiveness of the political process and the participation of all segments of the population in shaping the country's future.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has created a dedicated website allowing the public to access the summary report and its recommendations. Mechanisms for public participation and ways to gather citizen feedback will be announced in the coming weeks.

=Lana=