Libyans vote in local polls amid high security

Hundreds of thousands of Libyans voted on Saturday in municipal elections held under tight security after incidents at several polling stations forced delays.

The elections are seen as a test of democracy in a nation still plagued by division and instability after years of unrest following the Nato-backed uprising that toppled longtime leader Muammar Qadhafi in 2011.

Polling took place in around 50 municipalities, including the capital Tripoli.

A heavy police presence was deployed by the Tripoli-based unity government.

“Voting today in Tripoli is crucial for me because it makes me feel useful,” said Sami El Tajuri, a 62-year-old architect, adding that his three children are voting for the first time.

“It’s frustrating to see that I can have my say in who will represent me but so many other Libyans, especially in the east, cannot.”

Since Qadhafi’s overthrow, Libya has been split between the UN-recognised government in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and its eastern rival, backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

Elections were initially scheduled in 63 municipalities - 41 in the west, 13 in the east and nine in the south.

But the High National Election Commission (HNEC) suspended elections in 11 municipalities, mostly in Haftar-controlled areas, due to “irregularities,” including unexplained halts in voter card distribution.

On Saturday, the commission announced the postponement to Aug.23 of elections in seven more municipalities, mostly in the west, including four in the Zawiyah area, as well as Surman and Sabratha.

The delays followed Friday arson attacks that destroyed electoral materials in Zawiyah and Sahel Al Gharbi. And on Tuesday, the electoral body said a group of armed men attacked its headquarters in Zliten, some 160 kilometres east of Tripoli.

It made no mention of any casualties, although the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said there were some injuries.

“These attacks, on the eve of polling day, threaten the conduct of the ongoing municipal elections and the broader democratic aspirations of the Libyan people,” UNSMIL said.

“Such criminal acts represent another grave assault on the electoral process and a blatant attempt to disenfranchise citizens, undermine their right to choose their representatives, and obstruct the democratic process,” the mission added.

Agence France-Presse