Hundreds of thousands of Libyans cast their ballots on Saturday in municipal elections, held under heavy security after attacks disrupted several polling stations. The vote, spanning around 50 municipalities including Tripoli, is seen as a vital test of democracy in a nation scarred by years of conflict.
Since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Moamer Kadhafi, Libya has remained fractured between a UN-recognised government in Tripoli and an eastern administration backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.
Planned for 63 municipalities, the elections faced immediate setbacks as the High National Election Commission suspended voting in 11 areas over irregularities and halted voter card distribution.
On Saturday, the commission delayed polls in seven more municipalities after arson attacks destroyed electoral materials in Zawiyah and Sahel al-Gharbi.
Earlier in the week, armed men stormed the commission’s headquarters in Zliten, injuring several people, according to the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
“These attacks threaten the conduct of the elections and the broader democratic aspirations of the Libyan people,” UNSMIL warned. In Tripoli, the unity government deployed a heavy police presence to secure the vote. For 62-year-old architect Sami el-Tajuri, casting a ballot was deeply personal.
“Voting makes me feel useful,” he said, noting his pride that all three of his children voted for the first time. But frustration remains high, particularly among Libyans in the east who were unable to participate due to the suspensions.
For mother-of-three Esraa Abdelmomen, the polls matter because they decide who manages vital government funds at the municipal level. In some western towns, residents are voting locally for the first time since 2014, a reminder of Libya’s fragile but persistent democratic spirit.
