Libyan political factions have reached a landmark agreement to overhaul the High National Elections Commission and establish a two-year window for national voting. the deal , brokered by the 4+4 Small Dialogue Committee, aims to unify the country's executive authority and end long-standing political divisions through presidential and legislative polls.

Advertisement

Dhaou Ibrahim Attia to lead the restructured HNEC

The restructuring of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) is a central pillar of the new agreement,which seeks to create a unified electoral body for all Libyans. As the report states, the 4+4 Small Dialogue Committee has designated Dhaou Ibrahim Attia as the chairman of the commission's board, with Sana al-Lishani serving as the deputy chairwoman. This leadership change is intended to provide a stable foundation for the upcoming electoral process.

This diplomatic breakthrough follows UN-sponsored negotiations that have been ongoing since April 2026. By establishing a single executive authority and unified national institutions, the agreement attempts to move Libya past its current transitional phase and toward a state of permanent legitimacy. The move has received support from both the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) and the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA).

The 20,000-endorsement rule and dual nationality concessions

To ensure the integrity of the presidential race, the agreement introduces specific eligibility requirements for all candidates. According to the 4+4 Small Dialogue Committee's agreement, any individual running for president must secure at least 20,000 endorsements from registered voters across Libya. This requirement is designed to ensure that candidates possess a broad, national mandate rather than regional support.

The agreement also addresses the controversial issue of dual nationality. While dual nationals are permitted to run for the presidency, the report notes that any winning candidate must formally renounce all non-Libyan nationalities before taking their constitutional oath. If a candidate is unable to meet this condition, the agreement proposes a legal remedy that would require the entire electoral process to be repeated.

Rotating sessions between Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sabha

To mitigate the geographic tensions that have historically fueled Libya's division, the new framework includes provisions for a rotating political presence. The agreement stipulates that sessions for the House of Representatives and the executive authority will be held periodically in three key locations: Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sabha. This rotation is intended to ensure that political power and administrative functions are not concentrated in a single region.

Furthermore, the agreement empowers the newly elected parliament to address and adopt a permanent constitution. This move is seen as a critical step toward ending the era of transitional governments and establishing a lasting legal framework for the nation.

Can the 24-month timetable survive the constitutional deadlock?

Despite the high-level endorsements from Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah and LNA deputy commander-in-chief Saddam Haftar, several critical hurdles remain unaddressed. While the agreement grants the parliament authority over the constitution, the specific process for resolving disputes between competing legal interpretations remains unclear. Additionally, it is yet to be seen how the HNEC will manage the logistical challenge of verifying 20,000 endorsements from a geographically fractured population, or how the potential repetition of elections due to nationality issues will be funded and executed without triggering renewed conflict.