After weeks of speculation, authorities confirmed Wednesday that the poll, part of a United Nations-led peace process, would be delayed. But the run-up to the North African country's first-ever presidential election has been overshadowed by angry disputes over its legal basis and the candidacies of several controversial figures. The delay will be a disappointment to some 2.5 million Libyans who had collected their voter cards, out of a population of seven million. In September, the speaker of the eastern-based parliament elected in 2014 unilaterally passed an elections law ready-made for a presidential bid by Haftar -- a law later endorsed by UN envoy Jan Kubis. "The main obstacle to the elections is the parliament," said Mohamad Treish, a phone company employee.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 24, 2021 09:11 UTC