Al-Shuwaidi: Three-Council Roadmap Was Not Put Before Parliament, and a Unified Government Must Precede Elections
Libya – House of Representatives member Jalal Al-Shuwaidi commented on the agreement reached by the three councils over a roadmap to end the preliminary phase, stressing that the statement was issued by the heads of the three bodies — Aguila Saleh, Mohamed Al-Menfi and Mohamed Takala — rather than by the House of Representatives or the High Council of State themselves.
Agreement Between the Three Presidencies
In remarks to the Fawasel platform, Al-Shuwaidi said the proposed roadmap had not been discussed inside either the House of Representatives or the High Council of State, but had instead been agreed upon solely by the three presidencies without being formally presented to the two chambers.
Unified Government Before Elections
Al-Shuwaidi argued that holding elections without a unified government would be unrealistic and unworkable, rejecting the idea of managing the electoral process through a committee rather than through a unified executive authority capable of exercising control on the ground.
US-Backed Initiative More Realistic
He said the proposal attributed to Massad Boulos, or the internationally backed initiative, was more realistic than the idea of holding elections within a short timeframe under the supervision of a committee.
“Despite my reservations about anything coming from the United States, I believe the US initiative, which calls for unifying the executive authority before moving toward elections, is closer to reality,” he said.
Two Years to Prepare for Elections
Al-Shuwaidi added that talk of holding elections within six months, eight months or even one year was impractical and would not lead to an actual vote.
He called for the formation of a unified government and said it should be given no less than two years to prepare for elections.
Political Division Threatens the Electoral Process
Al-Shuwaidi concluded by stressing that unifying the executive authority was a basic condition for the success of the electoral process, warning that holding elections while the country remained divided between east and west would deepen Libya’s political fragmentation.
