Libya rivals agree to hold elections within two years

Libya's rival political factions have signed a UN‑backed agreement to hold presidential and legislative elections within 24 months. The deal was signed on August 30, 2026, at the headquarters of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) in Tripoli by the country's "4+4" Joint Committee, representing the Tripoli‑based Government of National Unity, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and the rival eastern administration backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar.

Under the agreement, presidential and parliamentary elections are to be held "within a period not exceeding 24 months" under a single executive authority and unified national institutions. 

The deal also provides for restructuring the High National Elections Commission, with Dhaou Ibrahim Attia appointed as chairman and Sana al‑Lishani as his deputy, and for amending electoral laws to resolve long‑standing disputes. Both civilians and military personnel are eligible to run.

Libya has been divided between rival administrations since the 2011 NATO‑backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi. The country's last planned elections, scheduled for December 2021, collapsed amid disputes over electoral laws and candidate eligibility.

The agreement gives Libya's House of Representatives and High Council of State one month to approve the deal. If they fail, the parties will seek to establish it as a constitutional framework through broader national mechanisms and pursue international backing through the UN Security Council.