Libya goes to the polls on Saturday (July 7)

  Today (Friday) is a cooling off day with no campaigning before polling starts tomorrow. The National Transitional Council has declared a holiday so people can vote.
   Many residents in the eastern part of the country are angry that they have been allocated only 60 seats in the 200 member assembly that is to be elected. Indeed there have been demonstrations and even a fire in Ajdabiya that destroyed ballots. An election office was also stormed in Benghazi There is also conflict still ongoing in the south of the country between different tribes. In some areas voting may not even be possible.
    There are 2,500 candidates running for the 200 seats. Many of those running have Islamist agendas. Under the Gadaffi regime parties were outlawed as promoting disunity. No doubt regional and tribal conflicts will remain after the voting is over. For more see this article.