Elections in Libya encouraging

Nine months after the death of the dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi Libya will elect a new parliament on Saturday. The liberal daily Dagens Nyheter hopes the elections will produce a positive outcome towards democracy: "After the elections in Tunisia and Egypt, further victories for the Islamists would be worrying. But there are many indications that the Libyans are sceptical about extremist adventures. Moreover they are grateful to the Western powers that helped them to topple Gaddafi. Democracy is a fragile experiment. Under Gaddafi all parties were forbidden and the only political organisation was Gaddafi himself. But if the elections are approached correctly and the opponents respect the result there is genuine hope for Libya."

» full article (external link, Swedish)
More from the press review on the subject » Middle East
All available articles from » Gunnar Jonsson
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

» To the complete press review of Friday, July 6, 2012