After his election, Zhaparov pushed for a referendum that approved a new Constitution that substantially increased presidential powers at the expense of parliament. It reduced the size of the country’s parliament from 120 to 90 seats and gave the president the power to appoint judges and the heads of law enforcement agencies. In Sunday's vote, 54 seats are filled by party lists and the remaining 36 are filled by single-ballot races. Their leaders quickly cried foul, accusing the authorities of rigging the ballot using the automated vote counting system and demanded a manual recount. Tensions had risen in the country ahead of the vote, with Zhaparov accusing his political foes of plotting a mutiny and warning that those who try to stage post-election riots would face prosecution.

Source: Libya Today November 28, 2021 13:11 UTC