The High National Elections Commission in Libya announced on Monday that the window for candidacy for the presidential elections scheduled for the end of next month has closed, having received applications from over 90 candidates, including two women. The Commission closed the application period at 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT) after accepting candidacy papers for two weeks.
The Commission is expected to announce the final number of candidates on Tuesday, and will later publish around 12 names whose candidacy applications were accepted after reviewing their files and addressing any possible objections. Libyan media reported that more than 90 individuals submitted their candidacy papers since the application period opened on November 8. Most of the prominent figures have applied for the presidential elections, where Libyans will choose their president for the first time in the country’s history through direct voting.
The most notable candidates include Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the late Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, army commander Khalifa Haftar, interim prime minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, and speaker of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh. Only two women have applied for the presidency: Leila bin Khalifa (46 years old), head of the National Movement Party, and Hanida Mahdi, a researcher in social sciences.
On the other hand, there are still voices opposing the elections taking place as scheduled, especially given the rejection by many of the electoral laws, which they believe were not enacted legally and amicably. The High Council of State, which acts as a second chamber of parliament, is one of the main opponents of the elections. It accused the speaker of the House of Representatives of issuing the electoral laws without consulting it, which is mandated by the political agreement that requires both councils to participate in drafting these laws. It is worth noting that around 2.83 million Libyans out of approximately 7 million registered to vote.
