2014 Libyan parliamentary election

Last updated

2014 Libyan parliamentary election
Flag of Libya.svg
←  2012 25 June 2014 Next  →
All 200 seats up for election
101 seats needed for a majority
Prime Minister before election

Abdullah al-Thani
Independent

Prime Minister

Abdullah al-Thani
Independent

Parliamentary elections were held in Libya on 25 June 2014 for the House of Representatives. [1] Whilst all candidates ran as independents, the elections saw nationalist and liberal factions win the majority of seats, with Islamist groups being reduced to only around 30 seats. [2] Election turnout was very low at 18%. [3]

Contents

After the election was complete, two constitutional claims were brought before the Libyan Supreme Court (LSC). On 7 November 2014 the LSC ruled the amendment to Article 11 of paragraph 30 of the Constitutional Declaration invalid, which set out the road map for Libya's transition and the House elections. This in extension invalidated the entire legislative and elective process leading to the establishment of the House including the election. Therefore, this meant the House was effectively dissolved. [4]

Due to controversy about constitutional amendments the House refused to take office from General National Congress (GNC) in Tripoli, which was controlled by powerful militias from the western coastal city of Misrata. Instead, they established their parliament in Tobruk.

The international community through the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) announced recognition of the House and thus ignored the Supreme Court ruling. It was seen as unrealistic at the time to dissolve the House.

Background

The General National Congress was elected in July 2012, with the responsibility of forming a constituent assembly to write the constitution. However, the National Transitional Council decided that Libyans would instead directly elect the constituent assembly. [5] The General National Congress came to agreement on 10 April 2013 that constituent assembly members would be elected; [6] the election for most of the constituent assembly took place on 20 February 2014. [7]

On 25 May 2014, the General National Congress set 25 June 2014 as the date for elections to the House of Representatives. [8] Article 16 of the Electoral Law voted by the GNC on 30 March 2014 with 124 votes in favour out of 133, allocated 30 seats for women, and 200 seats overall, with individuals able to run as members of political parties, but without party lists, and declared Libyans with a second nationality to be eligible. [9]

Electoral system

The 200 seats were elected in 13 constituencies divided into 75 sub-constituencies. [10] In an attempt to reduce tensions, all candidates contested the election as individuals, instead of running on party lists. [11]

Conduct

Turnout

I didn't bother to register this time around, and that should tell you everything. My friends were killed in the revolution, we paid in blood for this democracy, but what was the result of the [previous] election? Candidates make big promises, but when they get the power, nothing. [12]

—Mohammed Abu Baker, 21-year-old student

Turnout was a mere 18%, [11] [13] down from 60% in the first post-Gaddafi election of July 2012, [14] with only 630,000 people voting. [11] Barely a third of Libya's 3.4 million eligible voters had registered for the country's Constitutional Assembly election in February. [15] "Declining enthusiasm reflects growing disgust with the authorities' failure to govern," said The Economist . [15]

No voting took place in Derna, which had been the scene of a campaign of bombings and assassinations from radical Islamist groups based there. Some polling stations were also closed in Kufra and Sabha for security reasons. [11]

Violence

There were several instances of violence on the day of the election, with at least five people dying in clashes between government forces and militants in Benghazi. [11] According to security officials the deaths happened when Islamist insurgents opened fire on a local security headquarters, with the violence resulting in at least another 30 people being wounded. [11]

In a separate incident Human Rights activist Salwa Bughaighis was shot dead at her Benghazi home after having returned home from voting. Her attackers were reportedly hooded and were wearing military uniforms. Bughaighis, a native of Benghazi, was a lawyer by profession and had three children. She had played an active role in the overthrow of Gaddafi and had served as a member of Libya's interim National Transitional Council. [11]

Results

The results were announced on 22 July 2014. [16] All 1,714 candidates stood as independents as party lists were forbidden under the electoral system. Of the 200 seats up for election, 188 were announced on 22 July, with the announcement for the other 12 being delayed due to boycott or insecurity in some electoral districts. [17] Most of the seats were taken by secular factions, with Islamists only winning around 30 seats. Some analysts[ who? ] immediately feared the results could reinvigorate fighting between secular and Islamist forces. [2]

On 12 August 2014, the parliament voted in favor of the Libyan head of state being directly elected, as opposed to being appointed by the House of Representatives. Of the Representatives present 141 voted in favour, with 2 opposing and 1 abstaining. [18]

After the Islamist coup of 23 August 2014, the parliament moved to the Operation Dignity stronghold of Tobruk. [19]

Key results include the following. [17]

Constituency (* indicates women's list)Votes
1. Tobruk Saleh al-Tayeh3,008
1. TobrukNureddin Abdulhamid1,879
1. TobrukSalhin Saad1,611
1. TobrukMuftah al-Sharri1,389
2. al-Qubbah (Guba) Agila Gwaider (Saleh Issa)913
2. al-QubbahTalal al-Maihub623
2. *al-QubbahMuna al-Ghaithi2,559
8. Benghazi Younis Fanoush4,838
8. BenghaziIbrahim Ameish4,599
8. BenghaziAli Abuzakuk3,932
8. BenghaziTariq al-Jarush2,863
8. BenghaziAbubakr Bahira2,853
8. BenghaziAdel al-Tira2,080
8. BenghaziZiyad Daghim2,007
8. BenghaziMuftah Akuidir1,792
8. BenghaziAhmed al-Wahdi1,512
8. BenghaziAisa al-Arabi1,417
8. BenghaziJalal al-Shweidi1,307
8. BenghaziRamadan Shambesh1,220
8. BenghaziEssam al-Jihani1,073
8. BenghaziIbrahim al-Dresi1,072
8. BenghaziSaad al-Jazwi1,057
8. BenghaziBadr Musa977
8. *Benghazi Amal Bayou 14,086
8. *BenghaziAisha al-Tablaghi8,003
8. *Benghazi Seham Sergiwa 5,883
8. *BenghaziAsmahan Belaoun5,452
20 Sirte Zaid Abubakr1,093
20 SirteHassan Zarga875
20 SirteAbubakr Mohammed723
20 *SirteAzziza Busetta2,300
22. Sabha Ibrahim Ali1,319
22. SabhaMisbah Awhida1,189
22. SabhaAhmed Arhuma912
22. SabhaMohamed Arifa898
22. SabhaMohamed Ajdeed782
22. SabhaMohamed al-Hadiri713
22. SabhaYousef Saidi713
22. *SabhaFatima Abu Saada2,642
22. *SabhaAhlam Khalifa2,326
40. Zintan Abdussalam Nassiyah486
40. ZintanOmar Abu Kadr374
47. Misrata Suleiman al-Fagieh11,166
47. MisrataFathi Bashagha6,589
47. MisrataMohamed Raied2,690
47. MisrataAbdurrahman Sewehli2,129
47. MisrataMohamed Durrat2,085
47. MisrataMohamed Hneish1,753
47. MisrataKamal al-Jamel1,646
47. *MisrataHanan Shalouf15,882
49. Zliten Mohamed Ben Khalil1,277
49. ZlitenAbdulghani Alftaisi1,160
49. ZlitenEzzedden Gwereb1,105
49. ZlitenAamar al-Ablag1,047
49. *ZlitenNaima Dalef4,420
56. Tajura al-Sadiq al-Kahaili1,596
56. TajuraAbulkair Bilkhair1,351
56. TajuraKhaled al-Usta1,172
58. Tripoli CentralHamuda Siyala6,023
58. Tripoli CentralAli al-Tikbali4,777
58. *Tripoli CentralFawzia Abu Ghalia7,330
59. Hay al-Andalus Fayez al-Sarraj 3,771
59. Hay al-AndalusAli Sbai2,757
59. Hay al-AndalusMusab Abulgasim2,566
59. *Hay al-AndalusHana Abudeeb3,503
59. *Hay al-AndalusRabia Aburas2,775
69. Zawiya Mohamed al-Hanish2,271
69. ZawiyaAli Abu Zariba2,169
69. ZawiyaAmar Shaibaru1,880
69. ZawiyaImhemed Shaib1,350
69. ZawiyaSalim Ganidi1,286
69. ZawiyaAbdulnabi Abdulmuali922
69. ZawiyaAbdallah Alafi893
69. *ZawiyaAisha Shalabi6,533

Aftermath

In November, the Supreme Court annulled the election after an appeal by a group of unnamed MPs on unclear grounds. However, the appealing MPs asserted unconstitutionality as the parliament does not sit in Tripoli or Benghazi and that it had overstepped its authority by calling for foreign military assistance against the national infighting with the militias. [20] Though it cannot be appealed, the Tobruk-based parliament rejected the ruling on the claim that it was delivered "under the threat of arms." [21] MP Abu Bakr Baira added that the ruling was "baseless" and "a step towards dividing the country," he further said that the Tobruk-based parliament would not comply with it. [21] It was met with celebratory gunfire in Tripoli, the seat of the rival and competing Islamist-dominated government.

In further developments, former leader Gaddafi's cousin, Ahmed Gaddaf al-Dam, said that once the "government's" forces regain control of major cities many of the exiled supporters of Gaddafi, who were in talks with parliament, would return to get "Libya back from this mess" and support a national reconciliation programme. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libya</span> Country in North Africa

Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Libya borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad to the south, Niger to the southwest, Algeria to the west, and Tunisia to the northwest, as well as maritime borders with Greece, Italy and Malta to the north. Libya comprises three historical regions: Tripolitania, Fezzan, and Cyrenaica. With an area of almost 1.8 million km2 (700,000 sq mi), it is the fourth-largest country in Africa and the Arab world, and the 16th-largest in the world. Libya claims 32,000 square kilometres of southeastern Algeria, south of the Libyan town of Ghat. The country's official religion is Islam, with 96.6% of the Libyan population being Sunni Muslims. The official language of Libya is Arabic, with vernacular Libyan Arabic being spoken most widely. The majority of Libya's population is Arab. The largest city and capital, Tripoli, is located in northwestern Libya and contains over a million of Libya's seven million people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Libya</span>

The politics of Libya has been in an uncertain state since the collapse of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in 2011 and a recent civil war and various jihadists and tribal elements controlling parts of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Transitional Council</span> 2011–2012 de facto government of Libya

The National Transitional Council (NTC) was a transitional government established in the 2011 Libyan civil war. The rebel forces overthrew the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya of Muammar Gaddafi. The NTC governed Libya for a period of ten months after the end of the war, holding elections to a General National Congress on 7 July 2012, and handing power to the newly elected assembly on 8 August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khalifa Haftar</span> Libyan Field Marshal leader of LNA (born 1943)

Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Omar Haftar is a Libyan politician, military officer, and the commander of the Tobruk-based Libyan National Army (LNA). On 2 March 2015, he was appointed commander of the Armed forces loyal to the elected legislative body, the Libyan House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aftermath of the Libyan civil war (2011)</span> Events following the conclusion of the First Libyan Civil War

The aftermath of the 2011 Libyan civil war has been characterized by marked change in the social and political order of Libya after the overthrow and killing of Muammar Gaddafi in the civil war that was fought in Libya in 2011. The country has been subject to ongoing proliferation of weapons, Islamic insurgencies, sectarian violence, and lawlessness, with spillovers affecting neighboring countries including Mali.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammed Magariaf</span> Libyan politician

Mohammed Yousef el-Magariaf or, as he writes on his official website, Dr. Mohamed Yusuf Al Magariaf, is a Libyan politician who served as the President of the General National Congress from its first meeting in August 2012 until his resignation in May 2013. In this role he was effectively Libya's de facto head of state, until his resignation in May 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Libyan parliamentary election</span>

Elections for a General National Congress (GNC) were held in Libya on 7 July 2012, having been postponed from 19 June. They were the first elections since the overthrow and death of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi a year earlier, the first free national elections since 1952, and only the second free national elections since Libya gained independence in 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Factional violence in Libya (2011–2014)</span> Period of violence in Libya following the overthrow of Gaddafi

Following the end of the First Libyan Civil War, which overthrew Muammar Gaddafi, there was violence involving various militias and the new state security forces. This violence has escalated into the Second Libyan Civil War (2014–2020).

The Justice and Construction Party (JCP) or Justice and Development Party is a political party in Libya associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. It was officially founded on 3 March 2012 in Tripoli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General National Congress</span> The former legislative authority of Libya

The General National Congress or General National Council was the legislative authority of Libya for two years following the end of the First Libyan Civil War. It was elected by popular vote on 7 July 2012, and took power from the National Transitional Council on 8 August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nouri Abusahmain</span> Libyan politician

Nouri Abusahmain is a Libyan politician. He is a major figure on the Islamist side of the 2014 Libyan Conflict and founder of the LROR group which is considered "terrorist" by the internationally recognized Libyan parliament. He is reported to have rigged proceedings of the General National Congress while serving as its president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libyan civil war (2014–2020)</span> Armed conflict in Libya

The Libyan civil war (2014–2020), also more commonly known as the Second Libyan Civil War, was a multilateral civil war which was fought in Libya between a number of armed groups, but mainly the House of Representatives (HoR) and the Government of National Accord (GNA), for six years from 2014 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libya Shield Force</span> Islamist armed group

The Libya Shield Force is an armed organisation formed in 2012 out of anti-Gaddafi armed groups spread throughout Libya. The Libyan parliament designated much of the Libya Shield Force as terrorist and elements of the Libya Shield Force were identified as linked to al-Qaeda as early as 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Representatives (Libya)</span> Legislative branch of the Libyan government

The Libyan House of Representatives is the legislature of Libya resulting from the 2014 Libyan parliamentary election, which had an 18% turnout. On 4 August 2014, in the course of the progressing August 2014 Islamist coup in the capital Tripoli in the context of the Libyan Civil War, the House of Representatives relocated itself to Tobruk in the far east of Libya. Several HoR sessions were held in Tripoli in May 2019 while Tripoli was under armed attack, electing an Interim Speaker for 45 days. Between 2014 and 2021, the House of Representatives supported the Tobruk-based government led by Abdullah al-Thani before supporting the incumbent Government of National Unity led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh. In September 2021, the House of Representatives passed a no-confidence motion against the interim GNU government and later appointed a rival Government of National Stability (GNS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libyan crisis (2011–present)</span> Conflicts in Libya from 2011 onwards

The Libyan crisis is the current humanitarian crisis and political-military instability occurring in Libya, beginning with the Arab Spring protests of 2011, which led to two civil wars, foreign military intervention, and the ousting and death of Muammar Gaddafi. The first civil war's aftermath and proliferation of armed groups led to violence and instability across the country, which erupted into renewed civil war in 2014. The second war lasted until October 23, 2020, when all parties agreed to a permanent ceasefire and negotiations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of National Accord</span> Government of Libya

The Government of National Accord was an interim government for Libya that was formed under the terms of the Libyan Political Agreement, a United Nations–led initiative, signed on 17 December 2015. The agreement was unanimously endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, which welcomed the formation of a Presidency Council for Libya and recognized the Government of National Accord as the sole legitimate executive authority in Libya. On 31 December 2015, Chairman of the Libyan House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh Issa declared his support for the Libyan Political Agreement. The General National Congress has criticized the GNA on multiple fronts as biased in favor of its rival parliament the House of Representatives.

This is a detailed timeline of the Libyan civil war (2014–2020) which lasted from 2014 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Next Libyan presidential election</span>

The Libyan presidential election had originally been planned for 10 December 2018, but was delayed due to Khalifa Haftar's Western Libya campaign. The election was thereafter scheduled to be held on 24 December 2021 but was indefinitely postponed after the head of the High National Election Commission (HNEC) ordered the dissolution of the electoral committees nationwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High National Election Commission</span> Libyan electoral commission created in 2012

The High National Election Commission is a body created in Libya for organising elections following the 2011 Libyan Civil War, starting in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amal Bayou</span> Libyan microbiologist and politician (died 2017)

Amal Bayou was a Libyan microbiologist and politician who served in the House of Representatives from 2014 until her death in 2017. Bayou was a prominent advocate for women's rights and social change in Libya, and was considered to be an "extremely popular" politician in the country.

References

  1. ↑ "Date for new parliamentary elections 25 June". Libya Herald . 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Libya publishes parliamentary election results". Xinhua. 22 July 2014. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Libyans mourn rights activist amid turmoil". www.aljazeera.com. Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  4. ↑ Maghur, Azza K. "A Legal Look into the Libyan Supreme Court Ruling". Atlantic Council. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  5. ↑ "NTC takes responsibility for constitution from National Conference". Libya Herald. 5 July 2012. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "The Constitutional Commission will be elected and the political isolation law is constitutional, rules Congress". Libya Herald. 11 April 2013. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Election re-runs next Wednesday says Elabbar". Libya Herald. 21 February 2014. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "The Thirty-Fifth Report - May 15 - May 30, 2014". Eye on the General National Congress. 15 June 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  9. ↑ "Congress votes to replace itself with new House of Representatives" . Libya Herald . 30 March 2014. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  10. ↑ "LIBYA Majlis Al-Nuwaab (House of Representatives". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jawad, Rana (26 June 2014). "Libyan elections: Low turnout marks bid to end political crisis". BBC. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  12. ↑ "Disillusionment mars Libya's national poll". The Guardian. 25 June 2014. Archived from the original on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  13. ↑ "Libyans mourn rights activist amid turmoil". Al Jazeera English. 26 June 2014. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  14. ↑ Kirkpatrick, David D. (7 July 2012). "Braving Areas of Violence, Voters Try to Reshape Libya". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 July 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  15. 1 2 "Libya's turmoil: Little to celebrate". The Economist . 22 February 2014. Archived from the original on 7 September 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  16. ↑ "ELECTIONS 2014: Final results for House of Representative elections announced". Libya Herald. 21 July 2014. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  17. 1 2 Paton, Callum; Seraj, Essul (22 July 2014). "ELECTIONS 2014: Final results for House of Representative elections announced" . Libya Herald . Archived from the original on 23 July 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  18. ↑ Zaptia, Sami (12 August 2014). "Breaking news: HoR votes for direct popular election of Libya's president". Libya Herald. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  19. ↑ Ibrahim, Noora (13 August 2014). "Ansar increases presence at Benina check-point as criticism of Saiqa mounts". Libya Herald. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  20. 1 2 "Libya court 'invalidates' parliament". 6 November 2014. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018– via BBC.
  21. 1 2 Stout, David (7 November 2014). "Libyan Parliament 'Unconstitutional'". Time. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.