Presidential elections in Libya: Khalifa Haftar candidate

The strongman of eastern Libya Khalifa Haftar announced Tuesday his candidacy for the presidential election scheduled for December 24, in a speech broadcast live on television.

“I declare my candidacy for the presidential election, not because I am running after power but to lead our people in this crucial period to glory, progress and prosperity,” he said in his speech from Benghazi, his stronghold.

The candidacy of Marshal Haftar, supported by key regional players involved in the Libyan issue such as Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, comes two days after that of Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Muammar Gaddafi.

On September 22, Marshal Haftar, 77, had temporarily stepped down as head of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA), as stipulated by the electoral law, in order to be able to run for president.

The military man, accused by his opponents of wanting to establish a military dictatorship, is seeking to win power through the ballot box after the resounding failure of his military adventure at the gates of Tripoli, the seat of the UN-recognized government, in 2019.

Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in October 2011, Libya has been plagued by bloody violence and rival power struggles in the east and west of the country.