With a month and a half of the presidential election, Libya has seven declared candidates. The most noticed and controversial candidacies are obviously those of Saif al-Islam, son of the ancie ...

Libya: presidential election approaches and exacerbates political divisions

Marshal Khalifa Haftar (left), Saif al-Islam Kadhafi (center) and Fathi Bashagha (right).

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

With a month and a half of the presidential election, Libya has seven declared candidates.

The most noticed and controversial candidacies are obviously those of Saif al-Islam, son of the former leader Muammar Gaddafi, and that of Khalifa Haftar, the strongman of the east of the country, who was at the head of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army.

The electoral campaign is well and truly launched.

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The start of the week has been rich in twists and turns for the Libyans.

Among the first wave of presidential candidates, the most noticed was Fathi Bachagha, the former interior minister of the government of national unity.

But the last to be "out of the woods" have made people talk about them.

Ex-Marshal

Haftar declared himself a candidate on

Tuesday, November 16, and that came as no surprise to anyone.

A few months ago, he asked for a waiver from the president of parliament, Aaguila Saleh, allowing him to temporarily step down from the army command.

The announcement of

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi's candidacy

, Sunday, November 14, stole the show from Khalifa Haftar.

The case of the son of former leader

Muammar Gaddafi

is complicated.

Sentenced to death by the Libyan justice for his repressive role during the 2011 revolution, he is also wanted by the International Criminal Court for the same reasons.

But the country is wondering about the future candidacies or not of two heavyweights of the Libyan political scene: the current head of the interim government, Abdel Hamid Dbeibah, and the president of the Presidential Council, Mohammed Menfi. The declared candidates and those supposed to do so have strong rivalries. They embody political bodies that oppose or do not recognize each other.

The Libyan electoral campaign has been launched, but the holding of legislative and presidential elections is still uncertain.

Postponed for the first time, it must now take place on December 24.

But even that date could be postponed again, or even canceled.

Hasni Abidi, political scientist and director of the Center for Studies and Research on the Arab and Mediterranean World (CERMAM) in Geneva, explains the reasons for such uncertainties and sheds light on what would happen to Libya in the event of a postponement or cancelation.

Interview with Nadia Ben Mahfoudh.

Why has Libya's electoral law been so criticized?

This electoral law is highly contested in the west but also in some foreign countries because it was drafted by the chamber in the east and under the influence of both the speaker of parliament, Aguila Salah Issa - whose mandate failed -, and under the control of Khalifa Haftar.

He wanted an electoral law that allows military officers to return to the political scene, to stand as candidates and to return to military office in the event of failure.

In this process, which seems to have difficulty moving forward, can we still see winners?

Whether the election is held or not, Khalifa Haftar and Saif al-Islam Gadhafi have won a game, as they position themselves as supporters of a political and democratic process that begins with elections, unlike those in the 'Where is.

Even if the latter are opposed for reasons rather of transparency of the electoral law.

We can say that Saif al-Islam and Khalifa Haftar want to show the international community and a large part of the Libyans that they are part of a peaceful process of political construction.

On the other hand, those who oppose do not want a democratic operation.

What would be the consequences of postponing or canceling the elections?

This is the unknown.

There is an attachment, from the international community and the United Nations, to the organization of the elections on time, that is to say on December 24.

For neighboring countries and for the international community: how to deal with Libya in the event of an election cancellation?

The military option is still being asked.

We know very well that Haftar did not really leave his army, his deputy directs it to the east.

And we know that the military militias in the west are intact, in combat positions if the situation deteriorates.

Libya: presidential election approaches and exacerbates political divisions

Libya: presidential election approaches and exacerbates political divisions

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