A delegation from the Tripoli based High State Council (HSC), led by its Second Deputy Speaker, Omar Boushah, paid an official visit today to the House of Representatives (HoR) in the city of Benghazi.
The Second Deputy Speaker extended his congratulations to Al-Salheen Abdel Nabi on his election as Speaker of the HoR, wishing him success and guidance in the performance of his duties, and success in fulfilling his ‘‘national responsibilities’’ during this critical phase.
This visit, the HSC stated, comes as part of its commitment to maintaining ongoing communication and coordination between the two legislative institutions, with the aim of supporting political stability and addressing current challenges.
Analysis and comment
The initiative is seen by analysts as a possible early sign of the resetting and thawing of relations between the HSC and the HoR, under the new HoR Speaker Al-Salheen Abdel Nabi. The HSC Benghazi visit further endorses Abdel Nabi's position as the new HoR Speaker.
Consequently, the visit could herald a reproachment between Tripoli and Benghazi. These two bodies, it will be recalled, have been at loggerheads for most of the years since 2015.
The Libyan Political Agreement (LPA)
The HSC is, it will be recalled, is an advisory body to the HoR – as prescribed by Libya’s current and internationally recognised political roadmap, the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) - signed in Skhirat, Morocco in December 2015.
The August 2011 Transitional Constitutional Declaration’s
The possible agreement by the HoR and HSC on a range of political issues (''national responsibilities'') such as the appointment of sovereign positions and on a draft constitution to be put to the public for a referendum and resulting subsequently in a fully mandated parliamentary elections and government – would fulfil the August 2011 Transitional Constitutional Declaration’s requirement.
The Transitional Constitutional Declaration is Libya’s interim constitution, promised as a social contract to the Libyan people by the National Transitional Council during the 2011 revolution that ended the 42-year Qaddafi regime.
All of Libya’s political institutions have failed since the 2011 revolution to deliver their ''national responsibilities'' or simple promise contained in the 2011 Transitional Constitutional Declaration of:
Drafting a permanent constitution
Putting it to a public referendum
Holding elections based on the permanent constitution - resulting in a fully mandated parliament. That parliament would then be able to give birth to a fully mandated government.
The need for a fully mandated government
Only a fully mandated government can have the political authority to face-off militias and implement structural economic reforms to move Libya forward from the current political impasse it has been stuck in since 2011.