Libya: Prime Minister Forced To Step Down

By

Libyan Prime Minister Mustafa Abu Shagour was forced to resign Sunday after the Libyan Parliament, the National Assembly, rejected for the second time his cabinet formation. Three days ago, his first proposal was rejected by MPs.

125 members of the Assembly have voted against the proposed “emergency government”, compared to 44 votes in favor and 17 abstentions, according to images broadcast live on Libyan television.

According to the law, the Assembly shall elect or appoint a new head of government following the two rejections.

On Sunday evening, members of National Executive Congress (NEC) discussed the procedure to choose a new head of government. In the meantime, they announced their intention to renew their confidence in the transitional government of Abdelrahim al-Kib.

Few minutes before the vote, Abu Shagour proposed a “crisis government” restricted to to ten ministries, saying he preferred jurisdiction to other geographic or political considerations.

“Faced with the dangers that threaten the country, I present a crisis government, limited to ten ministries, rejecting any geographical consideration,” said Abu Chagour before the 186 members present (out of 200).

Mr. Abu Chagour was criticized by the MPs Thursday after he presented his initial proposal. “The first government was not perfect. And we could discuss it and overhaul (…), but requests from members of the Congress were unrealistic: some require a portfolio specific to their region, one of the political blocs asked eleven portfolios and another has requested nine,” he said.

“I will not abandon my principles and convictions”, he further said, referring to “blackmail” attempts by members of Congress or political blocs.

Al Bawaba News

Al Bawaba provides top stories and breaking news about the Middle East and the world. The Al Bawaba network consists of several web portals and media platforms.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *