Dabaiba confirmed in a televised speech late on Monday night that his plan, which he called “returning the trust to its people”, is based on holding parliamentary elections before next June 24, that is, before the expiry date of the roadmap of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum that chose his government a year ago in Geneva. .
The plan stipulates that “the referendum on the constitution will be held in conjunction with the parliamentary elections.”
Al-Dabaiba indicated that in the event that the elections cannot be held, due to the use of force and its prevention by some parties, the option of “electronic voting” will be “existent.”
He also alluded to resorting to “partial elections in some areas,” according to several international experiences.
Earlier this month, the eastern-based parliament appointed the 60-year-old former interior minister and influential politician, Fathi Bashagha, as prime minister to replace Abdel Hamid Dabaiba, but the latter confirmed that he would hand over power only to an elected government.
The selection of Bashagha for the post came after the parliament recently approved a new road map, according to which the government will be reconstituted and elections will be held within a maximum of 14 months, which caused division and rejection of the prolonged postponement of the entitlement.
Dabaiba stressed that his plan is the “only solution” that removes all political entities, including his government, from the current scene.
In this regard, he said: “Parliamentary elections will be held and the presidential elections will be carried over, to be produced according to a permanent constitution (…), as one of the candidates for the presidential elections, I am ready in exchange for the start of the parliamentary elections and the exit of all bodies, and despite my good chance, I will be the first to give up.” In reference to his withdrawal from running for the presidential elections.
His plan did not include a specific date for holding the presidential elections.
Dabaiba warned against the “dominant political class” attempting to escape from holding the elections, stressing that this matter “threatens the return of division, and will inevitably lead to war again.”
He concluded, “I will hand over the secretariat by elections, and I will not accept handing it over to chaos (…), only elections are the solution.”
After years of violence, a political process under the auspices of the United Nations led to the appointment of Abdel Hamid Dabaiba as prime minister in early 2021 to manage the transitional period until the holding of presidential and legislative elections.
But the vote, which was scheduled for December 2021, was postponed indefinitely due to differences between the actors.
Many Libyans fear that the conflict will lead to a return to the years of division that preceded Dabaiba’s appointment about a year ago, when there were rival governments in the east and west.
As political problems escalated in recent weeks, rival armed forces massed in the capital, raising fears of clashes.
The political chaos in Libya has undermined an internationally backed peace plan aimed at ending violence and division.