The Presidential Council issued a decree annulling the House of Representatives law establishing a Supreme Constitutional Court in Benghazi. The Council clarified that the suspension of the law is based on its unconstitutionality, as ruled by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court.
According to the decree, the Presidential Council assumes its authority to issue decisions necessary to protect the political process and ensure compliance with final judicial rulings issued by the Supreme Court.
The decree states that any measure or decision based on House of Representatives Law No. 5 of 2023 is considered void and has no legal effect.
The Presidential Council also issued two other decrees regarding the election of the General Conference for National Reconciliation, which will be headquartered in Sirte and whose members will be elected from each municipality.
The Presidential Council announced the establishment of the National Commission for Referendum and Public Consultation, headed by Othman Al-Qajiji and composed of 11 other members. The commission will be responsible for conducting the national referendum and issuing its results.
The Presidential Council member Abdullah Al-Lafi denied that there was consensus within the Council on issuing these presidential decrees. He said, “We are part of the Presidency of the Presidential Council, and issuing decrees requires a collective decision; it cannot be done unilaterally.”
Al-Lafi added, “Any unilateral declaration does not represent the Presidential Council as a whole, has no constitutional or legal impact, and is tantamount to being null and void."
