Amid escalating concerns that Libya is running out of options for national salvation, a widespread populist movement is gaining momentum, firmly advocating for direct presidential elections as the final recourse to break the political deadlock and end the protracted division. A single demand now echoes in the streets: the necessity of a decisive democratic transition that restores sovereignty to the Libyan people and paves the way for strong, unified leadership capable of ending the current chaos and rebuilding the state.
This popular surge is crystallising a national project widely viewed as the last historic opportunity to steer Libya back onto the correct path. Crucially, the momentum is being bolstered by the explicit adoption and protection of this trajectory by the General Command (led by Field Marshal Haftar), which insists on transforming this mass movement into a practical political pathway leading directly to the ballot box.
The Commander’s Call and Civilian Support
Proponents of this route argue that Libya can no longer afford further delays, asserting that the call issued by Field Marshal Haftar, the Commander of the Armed Forces, was perfectly timed to dismantle the cycle of obstruction perpetuated by political institutions that have lost their popular legitimacy.
In this context, Khalid Al-Tarjuman, head of the National Action Group, stressed the significance of Haftar’s meeting with journalists, activists, academics, and judges, which followed similar engagements with Libyan tribes from all regions. Al-Tarjuman noted that the Commander was keen to ensure the involvement of the civilian current in the national scene, recalling Haftar’s expectation of a “fundamental stance” from this current to back the establishment of a civilian state and restore citizen dignity, while referencing their early support for the “Operation Dignity” campaign.
Resistance from Politically Exhausted Bodies
The current popular mobilisation is perceived as a powerful message that the time has come to return decision-making power to the Libyan populace, and that the General Command possesses the capacity to guide affairs towards a serious electoral process that will finally end the instability and fragmentation. Political writer Hussein Al-Musallati observed that the meetings hosted at the Military Marshal City, which brought together Haftar with elders and sages from all Libyan regions, reaffirmed the importance of unity and the need for a fundamental resolution to the Libyan crisis.
Al-Musallati added that these moves have sparked anxiety among the political bodies whose mandates have expired, as they fear the development of a new roadmap based on national consensus, far removed from the politics of “political extortion.” He concluded that direct presidential elections remain the sole viable mechanism for producing a strong, unified authority capable of enforcing the law, given the proven failure of all alternative solutions over the past years.
International Impasse and the Public’s Demand for Stability
Correspondingly, political activist Abdullah Al-Ghariani affirmed that the widespread protests across several cities are the culmination of societal demands that have been continuous since 2011, reflecting the Libyan people’s desire to reclaim the state and achieve stability after years of political, economic, and security crises. Al-Ghariani pointed to a clear “regional and international failure” to advance the political process, identifying the main obstacle as the current executive authority, specifically the “Dbeibeh Government”, which he described as having “turned against the political agreement” and remaining in power despite its mandate expiring years ago.
He highlighted the failure of the international community to halt this deviation, noting that the demonstrations witnessed in Tripoli in recent months provided proof of this government’s eroded legitimacy following its security and administrative failures.
Despite traditional international reservations concerning the need for consensus, those close to this movement believe the international community is growing weary of the paralysis gripping the Libyan file. They posit that a clear popular will could become a facilitating factor, not an impediment, especially if the General Command commits to transparent elections and secures a safe environment for voting.
The current popular surge acts as a positive pressure point, pushing reluctant parties towards the option of democratic arbitration via the ballot box rather than remaining stuck in fruitless political compromises. On-the-ground movements indicate that the popular action is peaceful and organised, with its goal being to impose a national agenda centred on “resolution through the ballot box.” There is growing hope that this pressure may succeed in propelling the country towards the long-awaited direct presidential elections, and that the project championed by the Field Marshal stands as the most likely path to achieving this outcome, provided that the popular and organisational efforts on this track endure.
With this ongoing popular momentum, hope is reignited for a large segment of Libyans that recourse to the ballot boxes is the only route capable of ending the division, and that the General Command’s adoption of this option may constitute the major, long-anticipated turning point in the Libyan political landscape.
