Libya : Supreme Council Elects New Leader

One of Libya’s top governing bodies, the Supreme Council of State on Sunday, August 6, 2023 elected a new leader. Mohamed Takala replaces Khaled el-Meshri after a tiredly contested election that saw the final count of 67 votes for the new leader and 62 for the incumbent. Takala would take over from former head Khaled el-Meshri, a powerful figure who had been key in negotiations over the country's election laws. Both the voting and counting were live-streamed on local Libyan news channels. The introduction of a new leader at the helm of a key political institution could add more uncertainly to the country's already deeply divided politics.
It’s unclear what positions Takala, a politician from the city of Khoms and member of the Council since it was formed in 2016, will take on key political issues. But he was congratulated on his victory by Dbeibah. He previously chaired the council’s committee for the development of economic and social projects. The election discussions are occurring amid pressure from the United Nations, but both bodies have sought to replace the interim government in Tripoli before any national vote.
It is now divided between two administrations, one in Tripoli and another operating in Sirte, and a House of Representatives based in the eastern city of Tobruk. The powerful commander Khalifa Hifter continues to hold sway in the country's eastern region, from its main city of Benghazi. The Tripoli gove...