Will the December elections in Libya contribute to the stabilization of the country?

On 10 September, the Italian Center for International Studies (Centro Studi Internazionali – Ce.S.I) published a report entitled 'The Libyan Maze: the Path to Elections and the Future of the Reconciliation Process'. Seven authors, among which Libya-Analysis Managing Director Rhiannon Smith participated in the report, exploring in different articles Libya’s issues on the path to stabilization.Smith’s article focuses on the December elections and whether such elections could succeed in bringing together a divided country like Libya. Smith argues that the elections planned in December by the Government of National Accord (GNA) backed by the United-Nations and most of the international community are very unlikely to heal the underlying social, political and economic rifts that are driving division and conflict in Libya. She points out the lack of a broader democratic structure and coherent institutional framework in Libya to support democratic elections.Click here to download the report.