Anas El Gomati Profile picture
Director @sadeqinstitute Libya's 1st think tank. Chief contributor Security & Governance. Tripoli/Beirut/Paris/London anas.elgomati@sadeqinstitute.org

Jul 1, 2022, 6 tweets

#Breaking here is the moment protestors set fire to #Libya’s parliament headquarters.

🧵Here are 6 tweets explaining why:

Expired & disputed legitimacy

1.Elected in 2014 during Libya’s civil war with poor turnout (18%),

2.Boycotted by its own members

3.Ruled unconstitutional by Supreme Court

4. It has ruled for 8 years without calling for parliamentary elections or constitutional referendum

The HoR has been controlled and ruled by Aguila Saleh since 2014.

78 year old Saleh was elected with 913 votes in 2014 but has controlled the life, laws and legislature of 7 million people for 8 years.

Saleh & Mishri (of a rival body elected 10 years ago) have been locked in crisis talks this week that failed. These talks are designed to solve Haftar’s problems with the constitution and force into power another interim Govt appointed by Saleh/Haftar that will delay elections.

Meanwhile Libyans live through apocalyptic conditions & a crisis induced by the elite

An oil blockade led by Haftar⛽️

Daily electricity cuts of up to 18 hours despite GNU pledge to resolve it⚡️

Growing inflation & currency devaluation of Libya’s dinar by nearly 300%💵
#Libya

Protests across the country from East to West have cut through #Libya’s deepest political divide; in the photo below pro Gaddafi & anti Gaddafi protesters in Tobruk are seen holding rival flags side by side. Could this be a turning point?

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