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Call for a 'grand coalition' in Libya

July 9, 2012

Libya's former war-time rebel premier has called for a 'grand coalition' to lead the country into the future. The call came as Libyans awaited official results from their first free election in decades.

https://p.dw.com/p/15Tog
High National Election Commission workers check ballot boxes after collecting them from different polling stations as they prepare for the final count, in Benghazi July 8, 2012.
Image: Reuters

The leader of a political alliance that is said to have done well in Saturday's election has called on all parties to come together to form a grand coalition of national unity.

"We extend an honest call for a national dialogue to come all together in one coalition, under one banner... to reach a compromise, a consensus on which the constitution can be drafted and the new government can be composed," Mahmud Jibril told journalists a the headquarters of his National Forces Alliance (NFA).

"The leaders of other political parties should come to the talking table - be this before or after results are announced. Libya needs everyone. It cannot be rebuilt with the effort of just one person or movement," added Jibril, who was interim prime minister during the civil war.

The NFA claimed to have pulled into the lead as the vote counting proceeded on Sunday.

"Early reports show that the coalition is leading the polls in the majority of constituencies," NFA secretary general Faisal Krekshi told the AFP news agency.

Libyen: Liberale Allianz bei Wahl vorn # 09.07.2012 03 Uhr # libyen02a # Journal Englisch

There was no immediate response to Jibril's call for a national unity government from any of the other major parties such as Justice and Construction, the political wing of Libya's version of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood.

The first official results from Saturday's election were expected on Monday. Officials put turnout for the polls, which were the first since long-time strongman Moammar Gadhafi was toppled in a popular uprising last year, at 65 percent.

International approval

International election observers said they were generally satisfied with how the polls were conducted, despite some disruptions in the east of the country in particular, where two deaths were reported on voting day.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon praised the "peaceful, democratic spirit" of the election.

There were also words of praise from US President Barack Obama.

"On behalf of the American people, I extend my congratulations to the people of Libya for another milestone on their extraordinary transition to democracy," he said.

A spokesman for the European Union's foreign policy coordinator, Catherine Ashton said the Libyan people had "decided their future in a dignified and orderly manner."

pfd/mr (Reuters, AFP)