HoR announces candidacy conditions for next prime minister

By Sami Zaptia.

Tripoli, 26 January 2022:  

During yesterday’s House of Representatives’ (HoR) session in Tobruk, chaired by Speaker Ageela Saleh, 13 conditions were set for candidates wishing to stand for the post of Libya’s next Prime Minister. An unusually high number of 120 members attended yesterday’s session according to the HoR’s Official Spokesperson Abdalla Belheeg.

The 13 conditions are:

1. The candidate must be a Libyan and a Muslim of Libyan Muslim parents.
2. The candidate must not hold the nationality of another country.
3. The candidate must not be married to a non-Libyan.
4. The candidate must not be less than 35 years old at the time of candidacy.
5. The candidate must have at least a university degree or its equivalent from an accredited university.
6. The candidate must submit a certificate of good conduct and behaviour.
7. The candidate must not have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanour involving moral turpitude or dishonesty.
8. The candidate must be healthy enough to carry out his duties.
9. The candidate must submit a written pledge not to run for the upcoming elections.
10. The candidate must submit his resignation (of his current job) before candidacy according to the laws regulating the work of the candidate.
11. The candidate must obtain the recommendation of 25 members of the House of Representatives.
12. The candidate must submit a financial disclosure statement.
13. Any other conditions stipulated in the laws and legislation that are in force.

The HoR deems the term of office of the current Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba to have expired on the planned election day of 24 December 2021. The HoR had withdrawn confidence from it last September considering it as a caretaker government.

This HoR interpretation of the Geneva Libya Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) mandate that brought Aldabaiba into office is at variance to that held by the international community that insists the Aldabaiba government should only hand over to a newly elected government.

In a joint statement released by France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the U.S. on 24 December 2021 on the failure to hold Libyan elections on that date, the signatories said:

‘‘In line with the Paris declaration, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the United States recall their understanding that the transfer of power from the current interim executive authority (the Aldabaiba government) to the new executive authority shall take place following the announcement of the results of such early and prompt parliamentary and presidential elections. To avoid conflicts of interests and to promote a level playing field, candidates holding roles in public institutions should also continue vacating them until the announcement of the electoral results.’’

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