Salame found himself unable to proceed according to his plan to form a new transitional government for Libya and secure an amended agreement that would make the document part of Libya's interim constitution. This pushed Salame to propose new elections sometime next spring. Libya will continue to have two governments for at least a few more months.
The Tripoli-based GNA is unable to do much, prompting doubt as to whether it will be able to run smooth and peaceful elections when the time comes. Its Tobruk-based rival is even more hopeless. Both governments have little to offer to alleviate the daily misery of the people they are supposed to serve, and it is not clear if Hifter is going to accept elections in eastern Libya, which he controls.
Despite the political mess, the lawlessness and the daily difficulties facing its people, the country is now gearing up for its third elections since NATO helped topple its longtime leader, Moammar Gadhafi, who was killed by rebels as he tried to flee his hometown of Sirte on Oct. 20, 2011.
The obvious question is how could elections be fair in a country where there is no central government, where hatred still consumes many and where the rival governments can hardly maintain security in territories supposedly under their control?
Above all that, Libya is still being threatened by different terror activities. The elected mayor of Misrata, Mohamad Eshtewi, was kidnapped and assassinated on Dec. 18 as he left Misrata’s airport returning from an official visit to Turkey. No one has claimed responsibility so far and the investigation is still underway. His death shocked many since it happened in Misrata, which has been one of the few secure cities in war-ravaged Libya.