شاشة عرض مغناطيسية لصور السيلفي
وفر 24%! اشترِ شاشة عرض مغناطيسية لصور السيلفي بسعر 412.8 د.ل فقط في ليبيا. متوف
🛒 تسوق الآن3 Libyan Crisis Initiatives Compete to Break Political Deadlock: Are Elections Finally in Sight?
3 Libyan Crisis Initiatives Compete to Break Political Deadlock: Are Elections Finally in Sight?
Three competing roadmaps — UN-led, US-backed, and regional — are converging on Libya as the country's 15-year transition enters a critical juncture in mid-2026.
After years of institutional paralysis and rival governments in Tripoli and Benghazi, Libya is witnessing an unprecedented wave of diplomatic activity. At least three distinct initiatives are now vying to resolve the crisis, each offering a different path toward unifying state institutions and holding long-delayed elections.
The UN Structured Dialogue: A Homegrown Roadmap
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), led by Hanna Tetteh, advanced its Structured Dialogue framework — a Libyan-led consultation process launched in December 2025. In early June 2026, the dialogue concluded with approximately 600 recommendations. These include forming a transitional government with a two-year mandate, adopting a temporary constitutional foundation for elections, and postponing the permanent constitution to a later stage.
Tetteh briefed the UN Security Council on June 18, describing the outcomes as a credible Libyan-owned framework. Critics argue another transitional government would merely extend the interim period that has defined Libya since 2011. The dialogue also produced three parallel tracks: a joint committee between the House of Representatives and High Council of State to finalize the constitutional base within 45 days, an expanded political forum, and a potential popular referendum on contentious issues.
The US Initiative: Power-Sharing Through Economic Leverage
Parallel to the UN track, the Trump administration pursued a more pragmatic approach through Massad Boulos, Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs. The Boulos initiative seeks to bypass political deadlock through direct engagement with Libya's main power centers.
The initiative proposes a power-sharing arrangement between the Dbeibah family in western Libya and the Haftar family in the east. Under the reported framework, Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah would remain in office while Saddam Haftar — son of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar — would lead a newly structured Presidential Council. Boulos has linked political progress to US investment in Libya's oil sector, using economic incentives to drive compromise.
The proposal has drawn both support and sharp criticism. The Libyan National Army's eastern command welcomed it, describing the approach as a "realistic understanding" of Libya's complexities. But the High Council of State voted to reject the plan, and critics warn formalizing power-sharing along family and militia lines risks entrenching the divisions that perpetuate instability. Boulos maintains his initiative complements rather than competes with the UN process.
Regional Diplomacy and the Three Councils Agreement
A third stream of diplomacy is emerging from Libya's neighbors. Egypt hosted a foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo with Algeria and Tunisia, issuing a joint statement emphasizing UN-supervised elections. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty separately met with Boulos, signaling coordination between the US initiative and regional stakeholders.
Meanwhile, a significant internal development occurred on June 17 when Libya's three governing bodies — the House of Representatives, the High Council of State, and the Presidential Council — signed a joint document of principles. The agreement commits to holding elections by February 17, 2027, and unifying state institutions. The African Union welcomed the signing as a historic step, though skeptics note previous agreements have faltered at implementation.
Outlook: Convergence or Competition?
While the proliferation of initiatives signals renewed international attention on Libya, it also raises the risk of fragmentation. Political analyst Mohamed Al-Ajili told Asharq that the current momentum is necessary to break the psychological barrier of stagnation. Others warn that without a unified framework, rival tracks could undermine each other.
The window for progress is open but narrow. The UN, the United States, and regional actors all agree on the endpoint — unified institutions and elections — but disagree on the route. Whether these three initiatives converge into a single viable path will shape Libya's trajectory for years to come.
— Libya Press / News Desk
