Confusion in Libya on constitutional change ahead of election

By Nehal El-Sherif
Published on 06.07.2012

   Tripoli (dpa) - A significant constitutional amendment by Libya's outgoing ruling council left voters confused Friday, the eve of landmark elections.

   The country's outgoing rulers issued a law stipulating that members of a constituent authority - tasked with drafting the new constitution - must be elected separately, rather than appointed by the next national assembly as planned. The law was published in the official news agency late Thursday.

   The amendment marked a major change in the rules set for the National Congress, which voters will elect on Saturday, in the first nationwide election since Moamer Gaddafi's overthrow last year.

   However, many people in the capital, Tripoli, did not know about the amendment, and later said it does not change the way they planned to vote.

   Political parties said they did not reject the amendment, but criticized the ruling council for taking the decision right before the National Congress elections.

   Mohamed Tamu, spokesman of the National Front Party, says it reflects a "state of confusion by the ruling National Transitional Council."

   "It is a late, unplanned decision," he told dpa. "We do not think it will help solve any of Libya's problems."

   "We call on Libyan people to go after their democratic rights and vote tomorrow, so we would have a government to face our challenges," he added.

   Given the changes, the main task of the National Congress now is to replace the NTC, appoint a new government and start wielding legislative powers.

   "The amendment comes to fix a mistake committed earlier by the council, said Mohamed Ghoula, spokesman of the Muslim Brotherhood's Justice and Construction Party.

   Candidates seeking a seat in the 200-strong National Congress stopped campaigning on Thursday, in line with a ban before Saturday's vote.

   The Interior Ministry said it had finalized a plan for securing the election, amid fears of violence - especially in the east, where some people are demanding a federal system.

   "Tomorrow, I will definitely vote," said Fayza Najih, a schoolteacher in Tripoli. "I want to have a voice in building my country."

   Others were not so sure.

   "I cannot see any candidate for whom I should vote. We do not know them," said Hisham, a telecommunications engineer.

   But, on the whole, few Libyans said they would not vote.

   Seats in the National Congress are divided between 120 directly elected members and 80 for contenders from party lists.

   Some 2,500 candidates are vying for the directly elected seats, while there are 1,202 names on the party lists.

   Around 2.7 million Libyans have registered to vote.