A dispute followed by a war of words erupted among the members of the High Council of State regarding whether or not to re-elect the president, determining who had the right to chair the council between Khalid al-Mishri, the former president, and Muhammad Takala, the current president.
In the second round of elections, Khalid al-Mishri emerged victorious with 69 votes, surpassing Muhammad Takala by a single vote. Meanwhile, a ballot paper on which “Muhammad Takala” was written on the back was invalidated. Muhammad Takala’s representative demanded that it be counted or that the election be repeated, a request that Khalid al-Mishri and his supporters refused, insisting on adhering to the council’s internal regulations. This led the chairman of the High Council to adjourn the session and refer the results to the judiciary for a ruling, after consultations between the two sides failed to reach a consensus.
The dispute that occurred after the announcement of the results was not apparent before the start of the electoral process or during its first round, which involved the candidates Mishri, Takala, and Adel Karmous. In that round, Mishri received 54 votes, Takala received 67 votes, and Karmous received 17 votes, out of 135 members who attended the session.
The conflict within the High Council resonated within political party councils, which were displeased with the division of the advisory council.
Abdul Rahman Adel, a member of the al-Salam and al-Izdihaar Party, commented on the issue.
Meanwhile, citizens were indifferent to the happenings within the council, finding no direct impact of the legislative councils’ activities on their lives.
Omar, a citizen,
reflects the situation of most Libyans in Tripoli, where the public was uninterested in what transpired within the High Council and the competition among its members for the chairmanship.