Libya election deal sets 24-month vote target

Representatives of Libya's rival political groups signed a UN-backed agreement in Tripoli on Sunday that sets a conditional goal of holding legislative and presidential elections within 24 months.

The text was signed at the headquarters of the UN Support Mission in Libya after talks held in recent months in Rome and Tunis. The agreement says the elections should be held under a single executive authority and unified national institutions, which are not yet in place.

The agreement also covers the restructuring of the High National Electoral Commission. UNSMIL chief Hanna Tetteh attended the signing and called for the agreement to be turned into concrete action.

Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, who leads the UN-recognised administration in Tripoli, described the agreement as an important step. Television channel al-Masar reported that eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar welcomed progress on issues that had hindered presidential and legislative elections.

Libya has two rival governments: Dbeibah's administration in Tripoli and an eastern rival backed by Haftar. The country has struggled to recover from the turmoil that followed the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi.

Presidential elections meant to unify the country were scheduled for late 2021 but were postponed indefinitely amid disputes. In recent years, the sides have disagreed over whether military personnel and dual nationals should be eligible to run, and whether presidential and legislative ballots should be held at the same time or separately.

In August 2025, the UN proposed a roadmap for general elections and the unification of institutions in Libya. The UN-backed agreement is separate from another initiative led by Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump's senior adviser on Arab and African affairs, aimed at rapprochement between Libya's eastern and western authorities.