Libya’s district mayors called for involving Libyans and listening to their voice in any political dialogue, in order to hold elections according to fair and impartial laws that do not exclude anyone. They look forward to starting a new phase characterized by wide societal dialogue to prepare conditions for holding national elections, preceded by enabling all candidates to mobilize in all districts, municipalities, and areas of the country.
This came in a document entitled “The National Charter for Holding Elections and Accepting their Results,” after their meeting in the capital Tripoli.
What is the district mayors’ document?
The mayors said the national charter is a “historic document” and a “societal initiative that meets the demands of Libyans.” They seek through it to gain support, and copies will be distributed to all offices of Libyan district mayors to obtain citizens’ signatures and backing.
The document calls for involving Libyans and listening to their voice in any political dialogue, “without hijacking their will by parties benefiting from not holding accepted and consensual elections, as long as they are held according to fair laws that do not exclude anyone.”
Charter: elections a non-negotiable demand
The Libyan district mayors, after rounds of societal discussion with citizens and local actors, declared that “the non-negotiable demand is holding fair national elections according to impartial laws agreed by Libyans, and their preparation and adoption should not be left to the political class that has distanced itself from citizens’ concerns.”
They also renewed their stance supporting Libyan society’s components, protecting societal peace, continuing their functional and societal role for all citizens in all Libya’s districts regardless of their political background.
They expressed hope for the new year to be an opportunity to unify all national efforts to end political stagnation and the stalemate in the political process towards completing transitional phases. This would rescue Libya’s democratic transition stage.
The mayors stressed that “the national charter is an honest national call to all Libyan society components to join it and start a new phase where the Libyan people’s voice is loud,” expressing their support for “all efforts of wide societal dialogue that prepares conditions for national elections preceded by enabling all candidates to mobilize in all districts, municipalities and areas of the country,” to choose legislative and executive authorities running the country as per the Constitutional Declaration.
Charter: supporting all stability efforts
The mayors invited all local actors and “Libya’s friends among countries keen on its stability,” and the UN mission in Libya, stressing that “Libya’s district mayors are determined to support all sincere efforts leading to permanent stability.”
The charter also confirmed it presents points agreed by Libyans: Libya’s territorial unity, achieving national reconciliation, sanctity of Libyan blood, regaining Libyan sovereignty, commitment to peaceful process for change to hold national elections, preserving Libyan societal fabric and strengthening its cohesion, and countering tribal bias and extremist ideas.