(MENAFN) Libya’s High National Elections Commission (HNEC) reported that voting for the second phase of municipal council elections in 26 municipalities concluded late Saturday, with ballot counting now underway.

In an official statement, the commission confirmed that “all polling stations in the 26 targeted municipalities have closed without any notable security violations.” It further noted that “counting and tallying process has begun inside polling stations.”

The commission indicated that preliminary figures showed a voter turnout of 71%, with 161,684 citizens casting ballots.

Regarding the elections, the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, emphasized his dedication to “supporting the elected municipal councils, as they are a key partner in achieving local development and enhancing decentralization, bringing governance closer to citizens and responding to their daily priorities.”

On Facebook, Dbeibeh also highlighted “the efforts of the Ministry of Interior, which ensured the smooth running of the elections without any security violations, and most importantly, the awareness and determination of our citizens to exercise their democratic right.”

According to reports, the commission had earlier announced that polling started at 9 am local time (0700 GMT), involving 26 out of 63 municipalities that had completed all the necessary preparations to participate.

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