It is not possible to hold elections in Libya with two rival governments competing for power, said Italian Ambassador to Libya Giuseppe Buccino.
The diplomat was referring to rivalry between Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh who refuses to hand over power to his parliament-designate successor Fathi Bashagha, which sparked another wave of political turmoil in the country.
“It is obvious that elections are not possible with two governments,” Buccino said during a round table organized by the Luiss University in Rome today.
“The situation on the ground is complex,” the ambassador explained. “A framework has emerged with two governments that both consider themselves legitimate and that do not seem willing to negotiate”.
Nevertheless, Buccino emphasized the necessity of keeping “the electoral perspective alive” in the country.