Leila ben Khalifa, an activist who heads the National Movement party, became the first woman to run in the presidential elections in Libya on Monday after she submitted her papers to run in the election, according to Arabic-language media.
Over 65 candidates have applied to run in the elections.
During a meeting with US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland last week, Ben Khalifa called for the return of Jews to Libya to participate in the political process, saying “We have wronged them and took away their rights since 1969 and we have to return them,” according to the Libyan 218TV.
Ben Khalifa launched a push for 30% of ministerial positions in the Libyan government to be staffed by women, according to Arab News.
Ben Khalifa has run for municipal elections in the Al Andalus municipality in the past. In a video by UN Women Arabic in July, she stated that her "motivation is to change the stereotypical idea that public positions are exclusively for men and to show that women are essential partners to re-build Libya."