(MENAFN) Libya’s High National Elections Commission (HNEC) announced Monday that it will resume municipal elections on October 20, targeting dozens of local councils across the country.

The HNEC confirmed the vote will occur in areas where council terms have expired or where temporary committees currently govern, adding that preparations for the polls are already underway.

This decision to hold local elections unfolds amid an ongoing political stalemate at the national level. Planned presidential and parliamentary elections set for December 2021 collapsed amid disputes over electoral laws and candidate eligibility, further intensifying Libya’s prolonged divisions.

The commission noted that previous local election rounds were delayed due to localized security challenges, legal appeals, and logistical difficulties. Despite these setbacks, the HNEC has managed to conduct elections in over 50 municipalities during the past two years.

Since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ousted Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has faced persistent instability. The internationally recognized government operates from Tripoli, while a rival authority backed by commander Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army controls the east.

MENAFN06102025000045017169ID1110155976