Libya’s High Council of State has formally appointed Salah al-Kamishi, the former director of operations at the High National Elections Commission (HNEC), as the body’s new chairman. Al-Kamishi succeeds Imad al-Sayeh in a pivotal leadership change decided during a session attended by 103 of the council’s 108 members. The selection followed a competitive process involving seven candidates, eventually narrowing down to a runoff between al-Kamishi and rival candidate Al-Arif al-Teer.
In the final tally al-Kamishi secured 63 votes against 33 for al-Teer, following an initial round where the new chairman had already established a commanding lead. Mohamed Tekala, the President of the High Council of State, confirmed that the session also concluded the selection of three board members representing the western and southern regions, alongside a designated seat for a female representative, aimed at ensuring regional and gender balance within the commission’s executive.
Tekala noted that the appointment process aligns with previous dossiers submitted to the House of Representatives under the “Bouznika agreement” regarding sovereign positions. The leadership change comes at a critical juncture for Libya, as the international community and domestic factions increase pressure on the electoral commission to finalise the constitutional and logistical frameworks required for national polls.
