Libyan elections

Deutsche Welle: What impressions have you gathered so far, with what kind of expectations are Libyans going to the polls?

Alexander Graf Lambsdorff: Those who are participating in the process are pleased that they finally have the opportunity to express their democratic convictions at the ballot box - and that is a lot of people, as 80 percent of the population have registered to vote.

Whether it be representatives of regional interests, parties or independent candidates, voters can finally send their people to Tripoli to be part of a legitimate, democratically functioning parliament. Emotions are already running high, the tears are flowing. It's less than a year since the fall of Gadhafi. The country has come exceptionally far in that time, and now we'll see if the election can stabilize these developments further.

In the east of the country, the offices of the electoral commission were raided and ballot papers were set alight. Do you fear that such incidents could overshadow the elections?

It could be the case that in one or other places it won't be possible to open certain polling stations due to disruptions. The greatest risk now is that unrest could break out in the east of the country.

But all observers, even our teams on the ground, say: Obviously there are disrupters, but they are not so relevant so as to derail the entire process. They are always snapshots. Of course a further escalation could occur, which we're not able to foresee at this moment, but all in all I'm optimistic. The security plan requires all polling stations to be weapon-free. That's not a matter of course in Libya so shortly after the revolution. If the security plan can be implemented, I am very much hoping for a peaceful election.

What role do the elections play for the future of Libya?

One swallow doesn't make a summer and one election doesn't make a democracy. That's absolutely clear; every person working in the electoral observation mission knows that. The transfer to democracy is a much longer process that demands much more than an election - even if the election is successful. What an election can deliver, though, is this: It can unite a country, if the results are accepted by the people, because they have the feeling that the election was fair and just. Then they can move from a phase of unrest, of revolution and a non-elected transitional government, to a democratically legitimate, stable political phase. An election can secure that, and I believe, because of that, if it goes well, the significance of these elections can't be overstated.

You are observing the election on behalf of the European Union. What significance does the election have from a European perspective?

The island state of Malta is almost directly on the coast, Italy and France are on the opposite side of the Mediterranean Sea. In other words: It is a neighboring country of the European Union. Libya is hoping for European support.

The openness we have been shown here is combined with the expectation that we will continue to help. After the Libyan revolution, in which Europe played a formative role, it's very clear that Europe has a continued responsibility to accompany the democratic process.

It's a historic election for Libya, the first since 1965. How do you perceive it personally?

Naturally, I'm pleased to be able to be here to help, that Libya can take a further step on its way to democracy. When you meet people who were imprisoned under Gadhafi because they wanted to organize themselves democratically, and now they have the chance to be a candidate in a democratic election, that's very moving and touching.

German Member of the European Parliament Alexander Graf Lambsdorff (Free Democratic Party) is head of an EU observer mission monitoring the election in Libya on July 7, 2012.

Interview: Karin Kails / hw
Editor: Simon Bone