Hundreds took to the streets in several Libyan cities to protest against the cancellation of Friday’s long-awaited presidential election.
Several parliamentary candidates and political groups had called for the protests, which underline risks to fragile stability in the oil-rich nation that’s a haven for militias and still riven by an east-west divide.
Libya’s election commission has proposed January 24 as a new date for the presidential poll, followed by parliamentary elections on February 15.
But no dates have been officially set or agreed upon by the country’s rival factions.
At a Benghazi rally, protesters raised banners reading “yes for elections, no for postponement.”
“All of Libya must have elections on time. We reject any postponement or manipulation of the Libyan will,” Mohamed Alorfy, an activist, told the crowd.
Earlier, many parliamentary hopefuls circulated a poster calling for rallies on what they called “Salvation Friday.”
The poster called for the election to be rescheduled for January 24.
“Do not be passive. Take to the streets and express your opinion. Force them to respect your will,” AlSalhen Al Nihoom, a parliamentary candidate from the eastern city of Benghazi, wrote on his Facebook page.
Protesters have also rallied in other cities and towns of eastern Libya, including Tobruk and Derna.
Small groups also took to the streets in the western city of Misurata, the southern village of Gatroun and the town of Hun in central Libya.
Earlier this week, some 50 parliamentary hopefuls condemned the cancellation of the vote, insisting in a joint statement that the commission should set a new date.
The statement called on Libyans to take to the streets to defend their “right to a safe, stable and sovereign” country.
For nearly a year, the planned election was the linchpin of international efforts to bring peace to Libya.
But with several well-known figures – including the son of ousted dictator Muammar Qaddafi – declaring their candidacy despite bans, the election commission never published a list of accepted candidates.
Many observers had warned that either scenario – holding the vote on time or postponing it – would be destabilising.
The US, UK, France, Germany and Italy on Friday jointly called on Libyan authorities to swiftly determine an election date and issue the final list of presidential candidates.
“We recall that free, fair and credible elections will allow the Libyan people to elect a representative and unified government, and reinforce the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya,” the western countries said.
They also warned that local or foreign individuals or entities who obstruct or undermine the electoral process in Libya might face UN sanctions.
On Thursday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that elections should be held “in the appropriate conditions”.
The top UN diplomat vowed that his organisation will continue to support Libyan efforts to overcome challenges and hold both presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible.
Libya plunged into turmoil after the 2011 uprising that culminated in the overthrow and killing of Qaddafi.
Eventually, the country split between rival governments – one in the east, backed by military commander Khalifa Hafter, and another UN-supported administration in the capital of Tripoli, in the west.
Mediated by the UN, an October 2020 ceasefire led to the formation of a transitional government with elections scheduled for December 24, 2021.
But with that vote cancelled, the fate of that government is now unclear. The parliamentary committee said the government’s mandate ended on Friday.
The poll cancellation coincided with the 70th anniversary of the independence of Libya.
In Tripoli, the mood was festive but more subdued than previous years, with folk music and people waving flags in Martyrs’ Square.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
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The biog
Family: wife, four children, 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren
Reads: Newspapers, historical, religious books and biographies
Education: High school in Thatta, a city now in Pakistan
Regrets: Not completing college in Karachi when universities were shut down following protests by freedom fighters for the British to quit India
Happiness: Work on creative ideas, you will also need ideals to make people happy
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
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Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS
England v New Zealand
(Saturday, 12pm UAE)
Wales v South Africa
(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
