The ongoing dispute over the leadership of Libya’s High Council of State (HCS) resurfaced on Monday as the Council held a session, which some members described as legally valid, under the chairmanship of Mohamed Takala.
In a brief statement, Takala’s media office said the Council had unanimously agreed during the session—deemed to have met the quorum requirements—to hold new presidential elections by mid-November.
Takala also revealed that the judiciary had temporarily assigned him the task of leading the presidency until the elections, following his legal challenge against a decision made by his rival, Khaled al-Mishri.
Al-Mishri’s media office, however, dismissed the session, claiming that Takala failed to gather a quorum, with only 67 members present, falling short of the required number for an official meeting.
The dispute stems from an electoral disagreement in August, where both men claimed victory in the Council’s presidential elections. The issue has since been referred to the judiciary, with a Tripoli court suspending al-Mishri’s leadership pending further legal review.