People Want Democracy not Tribal Religion, Libyan Official told Echorouk

Liberals claimed an early lead on Sunday in vote counting across the country after Libya held its first free elections following Muammar Kadhafi’s overthrow.

If the trend is confirmed, Libya unlike neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt whose strongmen were also toppled in last year’s Arab Spring, will buck the trend of electoral success for Islamist movements.

“Early reports show that the coalition is leading the polls in the majority of constituencies,” the secretary general of the National Forces Alliance, Faisal Krekshi, told AFP.

The alliance which groups more than 40 small parties is headed by Mahmoud Djibril who played a prominent role as rebel prime minister during last year’s popular revolt that toppled Kadhafi and ended his four-decade rule.

The leader of one of Libya’s main Islamist parties, also basing his assessment on their vote count observers, acknowledged the rival coalition had the edge in the country’s two largest cities.

“The National Forces Alliance achieved good results in some large cities except Misrata. They have a net lead in Tripoli and in Benghazi,” said Mohammed Sawan, who heads the Justice and Construction party.

Ali Abdallah Bin Taher, supervisor on securing the Elections in Tripoli confirmed in a phone contact with Echorouk that Mahmoud Djibril leads his rivals; "Islam is everyones' religion in Libya, and people are looking for a mature political process. Mahmoud Djibril has made large and well-known contributions, and therefore they appealed to the democracy and freedoms away from the tribal or religious orientations. "

"What was promoted on Benghazi protests by those who boycott the elections is only a false media talk. Libyans went out for polls with large numbers in the various regions of the country", he added.