Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the second son of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi, is running in the Libyan presidential elections. This was announced by the representative of the Electoral Commission.

Gaddafi, 49, was imprisoned for more than five years until 2017 for committing war crimes during the revolution that ended his father’s rule. He was released because the Libyan government granted him a pardon. Saif is the favorite son of Muammar Gaddafi, who died in 2011, and was seen as his successor for a long time during his rule.

Chaos

Saif Gaddafi’s campaign may refer to the chaos the country found itself in after his father’s ouster, drawing on the nostalgia felt by some of his father’s former supporters. However, observers believe that he may not be the first candidate for president.

Many will associate him with his father’s regime, which ruled Libya with an iron fist for decades. In addition, Saif Gaddafi and other close friends of his father have long been out of power. This made it difficult for them to rally as many supporters as his rivals with recent political experience.

war

After the uprising against dictator Gaddafi and his death in 2011, a war broke out in Libya that deeply divided the country. In October last year, the warring parties agreed to a ceasefire.

Elections are scheduled for December 24. The question is whether they will actually last. With six weeks to go, there is still a lot of uncertainty about exactly how elections should take place in the country and who can participate.

There is still a great rift between the parties in the east and west of the country and thousands of foreign mercenaries are still present in the country who threaten the peace.