On 19 June , Frederic Wehrey and Wolfram Lacher published an analysis for Foreign Affairs of the potential impacts of holding elections in Libya in December, as planned by the recent non-binding agreement between Libya’s major political figures which was fostered by the French government in May 2018. The two authors argue that holding elections could exacerbate the already existing tensions and divisions in Libya instead of fostering a climate of reconciliation. As a result, Wehrey and Lacher advocate for the development of a more durable approach, in the form of a transitional agreement which would allow time for reforming Libyan institutions and including a wider number of local political actors. This article echoes several other articles published over the past week, revealing a strong skepticism among scholars and practitioners regarding the internationally backed, UN agenda for Libya, which focuses on elections as a stabilization tool.
Early elections likely to worsen Libyan crisis