The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), on Sunday, 14 December, commended Libya for completing the third phase of its municipal elections, describing the process as largely calm and orderly, with voter turnout estimated at 69 percent.
In a statement posted on X, UNSMIL, citing the High National Elections Commission (HNEC), praised the role of local authorities, security agencies and observers in ensuring a safe and credible voting process. The mission stressed the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the elections and resolving any disputes through established legal mechanisms, while reaffirming its support for Libyan-led efforts to advance inclusive, transparent and credible electoral processes.
Libyans cast their ballots on Saturday in nine municipalities — Tobruk, Qaminis, Sebha, Tokra, Al-Abyar, Suloug, Benghazi, Sirte and Qasr Al-Jadi — with 922 candidates, including 284 women, contesting 87 municipal council seats. The municipal elections have unfolded in phases. The first phase concluded on 16 November 2024 in 58 of Libya’s 143 municipalities, followed by the launch of the second phase on 16 August.
Alongside municipal polls, many Libyans continue to push for long-delayed parliamentary and presidential elections to resolve the political deadlock that has persisted since early 2022. The country remains divided between a Benghazi-based administration appointed by the House of Representatives and led by Osama Hammad, and the internationally recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli, headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.
